T'gana HC dismisses KCR's plea against probe in power sector irregularities

In a setback to former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition filed by him seeking declaring the constitution of a Commission of Inquiry to go into alleged irregularities in the power sector during the previous BRS rule as illegal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Anil Kumar Jukanti dismissed the petition filed by Rao.

In his plea, the former chief minister sought to declare the Government Order issued by the Telangana government constituting the Commission of Inquiry to conduct a judicial enquiry on the correctness and propriety of the decisions taken by the then government on procurement of power from Chhattisgarh by Telangana power distribution companies and construction of Bhadradri Thermal Power Plant at Manuguru and Yadadri Thermal Plant at Damarcherla by TS GENCO as illegal.

Rao, also known as KCR, sought the continuation of Justice (retd) L Narasimha Reddy as the head of the commission to conduct an enquiry to be declared as illegal.

He also urged that the issuance of a letter directing him to appear before the commission to produce evidence against the witnesses as arbitrary.

Responding to the letter issued to him to appear before the commission and on a media interaction held by Justice Narasimha Reddy, Rao on June 15 alleged that the panel chairman's functioning has not been fair.

In a 12-page open letter, Rao said retired Justice L Narasimha Reddy, who is heading the commission, should step down from his post.

In the letter addressed to Justice Reddy, KCR elaborately highlighted the measures taken by his previous regime to address the alleged crisis in power sector that existed in Telangana before June, 2014 when his government assumed office with the formation of the new state.

Saying that his government has succeeded in supplying 24x7 power to all sectors in the state, Rao alleged that the present Congress regime had ordered the commission of inquiry "with a clear political motive and to discredit the earlier government".