Apex court clears way for Power Dept privatisation

Chandigarh, January 12

Now, the UT Administration will be able to speed up the process of privatisation of the Electricity Department.

UT standing counsel Pankaj Jain said the Supreme Court today stayed the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, wherein the tendering process regarding privatisation of the UT Electricity Department was stayed.

Parida says Work to be fast-tracked

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said now the privatisation process of the Electricity Department would be put on the fast track. The Centre had decided to privatise the electricity distribution in the UT to provide better service to consumers and the process was to be completed by January 31.

The SC order was passed by the Bench of Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Ajay Rastogi. However, the detailed SC order is awaited.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said now the privatisation process of the Electricity Department would be put on the fast track. The Centre had decided to privatise the electricity distribution in the UT to provide better service to consumers and the process was to be completed by January 31.

On a petition filed by the UT Powermen Union, a Division Bench of the High Court had, on December 1, 2020, stayed the tendering process regarding privatisation of the Electricity Department.

The petitioner had contended that they were aggrieved by the decision to privatise the electricity wing by selling 100 per cent stake of the government in the absence of any provision under Section 131 of the Electricity Act, 2003.

The Bench was also told that the process of privatisation of the wing could not be initiated at all, especially when it was running in profits.

The UT Engineering Department had invited bids for privatisation of the department on November 9. As many as 17 bidders, including Tata Power Company Limited, GMR Generation Asset Limited and Adani Transmission Limited, were issued request for proposal to take part in the privatisation process. — TNS