‘Ex-judges should head electricity commissions’

Our Bureau Updated - June 30, 2013 at 09:31 PM.

Consumer affairs organisation Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS) has demanded that sitting or former judges of the High Court be appointed as chairmen of the various State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) in the country.

In a statement here on Saturday, CERS said electricity companies had benefitted the most during past decade since the implementation of Electricity Act, 2003.

Consumers had been neglected by the commission chairpersons, who were retired bureaucrats or retired managing directors of state electricity boards, it said.

In a letter to Union Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gujarat Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, CERS had said that sitting or retired High Court judges would ensure greater effectiveness in the implementation of regulations and rules.

Section 84 (2) of the 2003 Act gives State governments the option to appoint High Court judges as chairmen of SERCs. Initially , in 2003, a few SERCs were headed by retired High Court judges but, gradually, the State Governments started interfering in the functioning of the selection committee that ideally has exclusive powers to appoint the chairman and other members.

Later, the State governments started directing the committees to appoint bureaucrats recommended by them and interfering in the functioning of SERCs, as a majority of judgments were passed in favour of electricity companies to improve their financial conditions.

The same happened in the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC).

Many a time, the post of chairman was kept vacant for more than six months for bureaucrats to complete their present assignments until they take charge at GERC, the statement said.

Published on June 30, 2013 16:01