The Punjab and Haryana High Court has pulled up the Punjab government for not giving a clear reply on IAS officers holding top posts in both Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab Transmission Corporation Limited (Transco).
Justice Harpreet Singh Brar said he was not satisfied with the “evasive and perfunctory” affidavit filed by the Principal Secretary, Power. He also noted that the state had already been given two chances. The court said there was no reason to seek more time, but still granted one last chance and fixed December 15 as the next date of hearing.
The court pointed out that PSPCL and Transco are autonomous bodies and are supposed to work independently, yet both are being headed by the same IAS officer, Ajoy Kumar Sinha, who is also Principal Secretary (Power). The court had earlier asked the Chief Secretary to file a personal affidavit explaining this arrangement.
The matter comes from petitions filed against PSPCL and others through senior advocate Amit Jhanji and counsels Manu K. Bhandari and H.C. Arora. The petitioners said that after the bifurcation of the Punjab State Electricity Board, the state notified the Power Sector Reforms Transfer Scheme on April 16, 2010, under a tripartite agreement to transfer functions, assets, liabilities and personnel between PSPCL and Transco.
However, the petitioners argued that the state did not fully follow the scheme because it did not set up the required committee to oversee the transfer and absorption of staff. The High Court will now examine the issue of control and functioning of both power companies at the next hearing.
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