Ashutosh Karnatak to take over as APTEL Member (Technical)

Ashutosh Karnatak, Director (Projects), GAIL will take over as member in APTEL - the designated appellate body that hears appeals against the orders of central and state electricity regulatory commission and oil regulator PNGRB.

Karnatak, who was in February appointed Technical Member (Petroleum and Natural Gas) in the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (ATPEL), will take over his new assignment on Friday, sources said.

The government appointed Karnatak, who was to superannuate from gas utility GAIL next month, for a three-year term in APTEL.

He replaces BN Talukdar, who retired on December 31, 2019.

An electrical engineer from HBTI, Kanpur, and post-graduate from IIT, Delhi, Karnatak said is a fellow doctorate of UPES, Dehradun. He has over 37 years of experience in the hydrocarbon sector.

He has been heading the Maharatna PSU, GAIL's project execution and operations, and maintenance function as Director (Projects) for the last 6 years.

Karnatak has authored several books on a range of topics, including project management, oil and gas, and self-development.

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity was constituted in 2005 to hear appeals against the orders of the adjudicating officer or the Central and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions under the Electricity Act, 2003. The second appeal lies before the Supreme Court on substantial questions of law only.

In 2007, the APTEL was designated as the appellate tribunal to hear the appeals against the orders of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB).

APTEL comprises a Chairperson who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court or Chief Justice of a High Court, one judicial member who has been or qualified to be a judge of High Court, two technical members who are electricity sector experts, and one technical member who is an expert from petroleum and natural gas sector.