Government to change eligibility for appointment of CERC members

New Delhi, Sep 18: The government of India is planning to change the eligibility criteria for the appointment of members of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), which will completely overhaul the process of the appointment of members of state electricity regulatory commissions.

As per the proposed new board, a judge from the Supreme Court of India and power secretary of the government of India will also be made member of the selection committee that will make the role of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission important in the state regulatory commission. The Central government has asked the state governments opinion on this issue. This is an initiative by the central government to make Electricity Regulatory Commissions more transparent.

So far, there has been a provision of three-member committee to appoint member of Electricity Regulatory Commission that included chairman of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, a high court judge and chief secretary in the state government. This is a three-member committee.

The draft proposal of the new selection board has been sent to the state governments whose chairman will be a judge of the Supreme Court while other members will be included power secretary of the government of India, secretary renewable energy government of India, chief secretary of the state government, central electricity commission and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman will also be its members. Therefore once the news draft proposal is approved, the commission will have six members. As per the rules laid down in the draft, appointment procedure will start six month before the retirement of any member of Electricity Regulatory Commission. State governments will have to follow rules of National electricity policy, National Electricity Plan and Cross Border Exchange of Electrify.