JOIN US'DERC chief can't be quizzed in House'
Even if DERC chief P D Sudhakar appears in Delhi Assembly, he cannot be questioned over power tariff issue during the House proceedings, say experts.
Recently, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel accepted the demand of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs to call Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chairman to the House proceedings.
The DERC chief, if he agrees, will appear in the next sitting of the Delhi Assembly in June.
Though the DERC chief is not legally bound to appear before the Delhi Assembly, the quasi-judicial body’s head can still be asked to attend the House proceedings on power issues for ‘greater good’, said S K Sharma, Former Secretary Lok Sabha and Delhi Assembly.
“The Delhi Assembly Speaker on the request of MLAs can ask the DERC chief to appear in the House proceedings.
The city power regulator’s head in turn should come to the Assembly and listen to the discussion on the electricity issues that affect the entire population of the city,” said Sharma.
Experts said that Delhi Police is not under the city government but police commissioners have been attending the House discussions on the matters of law and order.
“There is no reason why DERC chief should turn down such a request as it will give him a chance to take the pulse of the situation from the ground,” said Sharma.
“Why would he want to antagonise people of the city by refusing to appear in the House,” he added.
The DERC chief will be seated in the ‘officers’ gallery’ where principal secretaries and other officials sit in the Delhi Assembly.
“He will just have to listen to the discussion over power issues in the city. He can’t be questioned by MLAs during the house proceedings,” said Sharma.
The AAP MLAs had alleged irregularities by discoms including issues related to tampered electricity meters and inflated bills.
They also accused the power regulator of giving a free run to discoms.