Manju Goel appointed JM of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) The Central Government has appointed Justice Manju Goel as Judicial Member (JM) of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity today.

Union Minister for Power Sushilkumar Shinde administered the oath of Office and secrecy to her here.

Ms Goel, retired Judge of Delhi High Court has joined the Tribunal in place of Justice Padmanabhan who demitted office in December, 2006.

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity is a judicial body constituted under the Electricity Act, 2003 at New Delhi to hear appeals against the orders of the Electricity Regulatory Commissions and the adjudicating officers. Appeals against orders of the Appellate Tribunal lie before the Supreme Court.

The Tribunal has been established with the objective of speedy disposal of cases which would otherwise have to be filed before the already overburdened High Courts.

It has become operational from July, 2005. As on January 21, 2007, 498 petitions have been filed before the Appellate Tribunal out of which 315 have been disposed off.

The Tribunal comprises of the Chairperson, one Judicial Member and two Technical Members. Chairperson of the Tribunal is also a Judicial Member.

A law graduate from the University of Calcutta Ms Justice Manju Goel was the first lady to join the West Bengal Civil Service (Judicial) in 1970.

She joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1972 and was appointed as Additional Judge in the High Court of Delhi in July, 2004. She was subsequently confirmed as Judge in that High Court in February, 2006 from where she retired earlier this month.

UNI