DY Chandrachud to head panel for appointment of electricity tribunal

The union ministry of power has formed a six-member committee under Supreme Court judge D Y Chandrachud to suggest candidates for the post of chairperson, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), the apex quasi-judicial body of the electricity sector. 

In a gazette notification, the ministry said, "accordance with Section 3(3) of Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, a Search-cum-election Committee is hereby constituted as follows for making recommendations to the Central Government for the appointment to the post of Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity." The other members of the Committee are secretaries of ministry of power, ministry of new and renewable energy, ministry of petroleum and natural gas, and Justice S S Shinde who was former Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court. The committee will suggest two names for the appointment to the post. 

The position of the chairperson of APTEL has been vacant since August 2021. A Supreme Court bench in 2021 had suggested some names including the last serving APTEL head Justice Manjula Chellur who had re-applied but the government could not shortlist a candidate.

Last year, the ministry of power faced heat from the Supreme Court for not appointing a member (legal) in Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) which led to the Court ordering CERC to remain shut for months.