Exercise to begin afresh after constitution of new Commission in UT
Sigh of relief for people at least for next few months
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 29: With the winding up of Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Regulatory Commission (JKSERC), the power tariff revision petition filed by the Power Development Department (PDD) has become infructuous and a fresh exercise will have to be started following constitution of new Commission in the Union Territory.
In the month of September this year, the Power Development Department through Chief Engineer Commercial and Survey Wing filed a petition before the Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking revision in power tariff for distribution segment for the Financial Year 2019-20.
However, due to communication blockade in the entire Kashmir valley the State Electricity Regulatory Commission could not immediately proceed with the power tariff revision petition as the petition was required to be put in the public domain for inviting objections and suggestions.
It was only on October 22, 2019 that the power tariff revision petition was put in the public domain through the news-papers inviting objections, suggestions and comments from various stakeholders.
However, the entire exercise came to the grinding halt on the very next date as Government vide Order No.1146-GAD dated October 23, 2019 accorded sanction to the winding up of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission consequent upon repeal of the Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Act, 2010 by the J&K Reorganization Act passed by the Parliament in the first week of August 2019.
It was made clear in the order that the Chairman/Members of the J&K State Electricity Regulatory Commission shall cease to hold office with effect from October 31, 2019-the appointed day for the formation of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh. Moreover, directions were issued to the Secretary of the Commission to immediately transfer all the records pertaining to the Commission to the Power Development Department.
“Due to winding up of State Electricity Regulatory Commission the power tariff revision petition filed by the Power Development Department has become infructuous”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “with this people who were up in arms against the hike proposed by the Power Development Department will heave a sigh of relief at least for next few months”.
Now, a new Electricity Regulatory Commission will have to be constituted as per the provisions of the Electricity Act-2003 passed by the Parliament after formal establishment of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sources disclosed. They, however, expressed inability of specify time-frame for setting up of new Commission.
It would be only after establishment of new Electricity Regulatory Commission on the lines of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission that Power Development Department will have to file fresh power tariff revision petition.
“Moreover, it is not clear as of now as to whether one petition will have to be filed or multiple as unbundling of the Power Development Department is required to be completed within next one month as per the decision taken by the State Administrative Council”, sources said.
“Even there is no clarity whether the Chairperson and Members of the J&K State Electricity Regulatory Commission would be taken in the new Commission or fresh appointments will be made as per the provisions of the Central Act, which will be applicable to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh”, they further said.
When contacted, Commissioner Secretary Power Development Department Hirdesh Kumar Singh confirmed that new Commission will have to be constituted as per the provisions of Central Act. “We will make efforts to constitute new Commission as early as possible as revision in power tariff is imperative”, he added.
“Nothing can be said as of now about the appointment of Chairperson and Members of the new Commission”, he said in response to a question, adding “things will become clear only after UT administration starts functioning”.
The Electricity Act-2003 is aimed at consolidating the laws relating to generation, transmission, distribution, trading and use of electricity and generally for taking measures conducive to development of electricity industry, promoting competition therein, protecting interest of consumers and supply of electricity to all areas, rationalization of electricity tariff, ensuring transparent policies regarding subsidies, promotion of efficient and environmentally benign policies, constitution of Regulatory Commissions and establishment of Appellate Tribunal.
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