Government removes Solar Energy Corp chairman weeks before term ends

India has removed the chairman of the Solar Energy Corp of India (SECI) with immediate effect, the federal ministry of personnel said in a notice on Saturday, just over a month ahead of the scheduled end of his tenure.

The former top bureaucrat at India's environment ministry was appointed SECI chairman in June 2023, and was scheduled to end his tenure as SECI chief next month.

The government did not provide a reason for dismissing Rameshwar Prasad Gupta. Gupta declined comment.

During Gupta's tenure, SECI had barred India's Reliance Power from participating in competitive tenders for renewable energy projects. It withdrew the order a month later in December after a court directive.

SECI also came under fire last year for a solar deal involving SECI and billionaire Gautam Adani, which was signed before Gupta became chairman.

US prosecutors had indicted Adani and seven other executives in November for alleged involvement in a bribery and securities fraud scheme. Adani had denied the allegations as baseless, and SECI denied any wrongdoing.

He had also announced last year SECI's plans to go public, but said it had yet to take a final call on the size of the initial public offering.