Delhi govt to withdraw direction to DERC on power tariff

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Delhi government today toldthe High Court that it has decided to withdraw its earlierdirection to Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) toput on hold the decision on power tariff for 2010-2011.

Appearing for the NCT government, Standing Counsel NajmiWaziri told the division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misraand Justice Manmohan that the government would withdraw itsMay 2010 direction asking the Commission to put on holdits decision on tariff.

The court, however, reserved its verdict on the issuewhether the state government has the jurisdiction to pass anyorder to the Commission.

Following an order of the court, Attorney General G EVahanvati, had appeared before the court and submitted that"under the Delhi Electricity Act, the state has nojurisdiction to pass such an order to the statutory functionof the Commission".

Taking note of the senior lawyer''s submission, thebench had pulled up the government for its standoff withDERC causing delay in taking a decision on tariff.

Raising a question whether the NCT government has anypower to issue a direction to any statutory Commission not torelease its decision on tariff, the bench had sought the AG''sassistance.

The Bench was hearing a PIL seeking a direction tothe city government, which has allegedly succumbed to thepressure of DISCOMS to hike tariff and asked DERC not to makepublic its approved tariff order, to vacate the stay on theCommission''s approved tariff for the year 2010-2011. (more)PTI PNM