The state government on Tuesday preferred an appeal challenging a single bench order restraining Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) from passing final orders on the petitions filed by Tangedco/Tantransco/SLDC (state load despatch centre) on the imminent electricity tariff hike. After elaborately hearing the parties, a division bench of Justices S S Sundar and S Srimathy adjourned the hearing on the appeal to Thursday.
Citing non-appointment of a legal member to TNERC, a single bench of the court had recently restrained the regulatory body from passing final orders on the petitions pertaining to tariff revision. The bench said the proceedings could go ahead, except the formal declaration of orders on tariff revision petitions.
“The moment the appointment of the law member is notified, the commission is free to formally dispose of the tariff revision petitions,” said the bench, making it clear that his restraint order “would operate till then and not a moment thereafter.”
The single bench passed the orders while disposing of a batch of petitions to forbear TNERC from conducting any proceedings till the appointment of a legal member of the commission. The petitioners also sought a direction to the commission to rescind its daily orders and proceedings on the petitions filed by Tangedco/Tantransco/SLDC on tariff revision.
