Jaipur, January 27, 2025.
With many crucial positions in the energy sector remaining vacant, including the chairman of the apex body, Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC), decisions are either taken without proper scrutiny or delayed. This hampers the revival of the sector, which is plagued with collapsing levels of debt and inefficiency.
The RERC chairman’s term expired in March 2024, but the current govt has not been able to find a replacement. Hearings of discoms pleading for power tariff revision are imminent, but RERC has no chairman to conduct them.
As per the Electricity Act of 2003, the state govt should appoint a chairman within three months of its vacancy. The chairman of the commission, as the holder of the casting vote in decision-making, plays a critical role in ensuring prudent and timely resolutions.
A stakeholder of the industry said, “In the absence of the chairman, the decision-making process is significantly hampered, as the quorum is reduced to two members—an even number.”
Additionally, he said, “The absence of a chairman places undue pressure on the remaining members, who may lack the essential technical expertise required for effective decision-making. Routine operational tasks, such as issuing tariff orders, monitoring compliance, truing up, and adjudication of disputes, are likely to encounter delays and bottlenecks without the chairman’s authorisation.”
The delay in appointing a chairman also highlights the govt’s inability to ensure the proper functioning of the commission, as well as the significant influence it holds over the appointment process.
“This underscores a critical gap in the current governance framework, where, despite being considered an independent quasi-judicial body, the commission remains dependent on the govt for its operational continuity,” added the stakeholder
