Delhi Government to Approach Supreme Court for DERC Pro-tem Members

The AAP government in Delhi plans to seek the Supreme Court's permission to process the appointment of pro-tem members to the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). The commission currently has two vacant posts. The appointments were delayed due to the Lok Sabha polls and the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The AAP government in Delhi is set to approach the Supreme Court to seek permission for the appointment of pro-tem members to the city's power regulator, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), according to official sources.

The three-member DERC, which includes a chairperson, has been operating with two vacant posts since last year.

A Supreme Court-formed committee shortlisted the pro-tem members, but their appointments were delayed due to the Lok Sabha polls and the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in March.

With Kejriwal in jail, the file for their appointment remains pending. The Delhi government seeks the court's permission to have the power minister forward the file directly to the Lt Governor, sources said.

In August last year, the Supreme Court appointed retired justice Jayant Nath as pro-tem chairperson of the DERC after the AAP government and the Delhi Lt Governor failed to agree on a candidate for the post.

Following the Supreme Court's directions, a selection committee consisting of current pro-tem chairperson Nath, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity chairman retired justice Ramesh Ranganathan, and retired justice Asha Menon was formed in November last year to select the pro-tem members.