AAP to move SC against appointment of ex-HC judge Umesh Kumar as DERC chairman

New Delhi: The AAP government will move the Supreme Court against the appointment of former Allahabad High Court judge Umesh Kumar as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman, Power Minister Atishi said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, she said the government had recommended the name of Justice (retd) Sangeet Lodha for the post on June 21.

“However, it was sidelined and former Allahabad High Court judge Umesh Kumar was appointed as the DERC chairman by the BJP-led Centre. This has been done to trouble the elected government of Delhi. In the coming days, we will approach the Supreme Court against this illegal appointment,” Atishi said.

The minister charged that the Centre’s move of appointing the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairperson against the elected government’s recommendation is “unconstitutional” and “vindictive conspiracy”.

“The BJP is conspiring to shut down the free and 24×7 electricity supply in Delhi. They are exacting revenge from Delhiites for electing Arvind Kejriwal to power thrice,” she alleged.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will never let the Delhi government’s free electricity scheme shut down and the BJP’s “conspiracies” will fail, she asserted.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP accused the Kejriwal government of behaving “childishly” over the issue.

Atishi further said that ‘electricity’ is a transferred subject and the central government is bound to act as per the aid and advice of the elected state government on all matters under the power department.

A statement issued by the lieutenant governor’s office on Wednesday night said Justice Kumar had been appointed the DERC chairman by President Droupadi Murmu.

Kejriwal had in January recommended the name of retired high court judge Rajeev Kumar Shrivastava for appointment as the chairperson of the power regulator.

The LG office statement, however, said the appointment of Kumar comes as Shrivastava expressed his inability to take charge due to “family commitments and requirements” through a communication on June 15.

Atishi alleged that the BJP’s “discontent” stems from the fact that Kejriwal has “successfully delivered the cheapest electricity rates” in the country. Delhi currently boasts the lowest electricity tariffs compared to other states, she claimed.

Commenting on the row, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said it is shocking to see the power minister trying to give “political colour and bad mouthing” the newly appointed DERC chairman and saying that the Centre is trying to break down the city’s power supply system with this appointment.

“It is regrettable that on every administrative issue, the Arvind Kejriwal government behaves like a child who starts crying if his demanded toy is not given to him… the government is repeating its childish behaviour on DERC chairman’s appointment too,” he said.

Hitting back, Atishi said, in contrast to Delhi, the BJP-ruled states impose “the highest power tariffs”, citing the electricity cost in Assam at Rs 8.2 per unit, Uttar Pradesh at Rs 6.5 per unit, Madhya Pradesh at Rs 6.74 per unit, and Maharashtra at Rs 10.38 per unit.

She said prior to Kejriwal’s tenure, the electricity prices in the national capital experienced “unreasonable and frequent hikes”, burdening ordinary families, and since the Kejriwal government assumed office, the prices have remained stable.

She also alleged that the BJP’s ulterior motive behind the late-night notification is to “destabilise the power sector in Delhi, dismantle the provision of free electricity, and impose exorbitant costs” on the people.

This move is aimed at subjecting the residents to prolonged power cuts, similar to the experiences of those residing in neighbouring areas, the minister added.