Govt in HC over DERC appointment

NEW DELHI: The AAP government on Friday moved Delhi high court seeking direction to lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung to reconsider his decision of scrapping the appointment of Krishna Saini as the chairperson of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).
However, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath refused to issue any directions on the application filed in a PIL challenging the appointment process of Delhi government.The next hearing in the case is on November 25. “The entire working of DERC, which performs very essential functions having a direct impact on the seamless supply of electricity in the city, will be directly affected owing to the order passed by the LG,” the plea said.
Delhi government told HC that the LG should be directed to reconsider his decision on the request of the council of ministers since he has “only found fault with the process that was followed culminating in the selection of the DERC chief and has not otherwise found him unfit for the post.”
The HC has indicated that it may go into the petition filed by Raman Suri, challenging Delhi government’s December 2015 notification seeking applications for the post of DERC chairperson and one member.
Suri has argued that DERC chairperson should be a former HC judge since the adjudication of disputes between generating companies or transmission licensees was a “judicial function”.