The AAP government in Delhi is expected to approach the Supreme Court to seek permission for processing the file for appointing pro-tem members to the city's power regulator, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), official sources said on Saturday.
The DERC is a three-member body that includes a chairperson, but the posts of two members have been vacant since last year.
A committee formed by the Supreme Court shortlisted the pro-tem members, but their appointments were delayed due to the Model Code of Conduct in place for the Lok Sabha elections and the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in March, sources said.
The file for appointing the pro-tem members needs to be sent by the chief minister for the approval of the Delhi Lt Governor. With Kejriwal in jail, the file is pending, and the Delhi government intends to seek the court's permission for the power minister to forward it directly for the Lt Governor's approval, the sources added.
In August last year, the Supreme Court appointed retired justice Jayant Nath as the pro-tem chairperson of the DERC after the AAP government and the Delhi Lt Governor failed to agree on a candidate for the post.
Following the Supreme Court's directions, a selection committee comprising the current pro-tem chairperson Nath, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity chairman retired justice Ramesh Ranganathan, and retired justice Asha Menon was formed in November last year to select the two pro-tem members.
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