Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 10: State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has become the latest addition in the list of headless and dysfunctional Commissions in Jammu and Kashmir and like other ‘defunct’ constitutional bodies this Commission has also failed to receive the due attention of the Government during the last one month despite having clear guidelines to fill up the vacancy of Chairman.
S M Desalphine, a former IAS Officer of J&K Cadre, joined the State Electricity Regulatory Commission as its Chairman on November 16, 2009 and he demitted his office early last month on attaining the age of 65 years.
As per the laid down procedure, six months before the superannuation or end of tenure of Chairperson or Member of the Commission the Government shall make a reference to the Selection Committee for filling up of the vacancy. The Selection Committee comprising Minister of Power Development Department (Chairman), Principal Secretary, Power Development Department and Member Central Electricity Regulatory Commission shall finalize the member within one month from the date on which the reference is made to it and recommend a panel of two names for every vacancy.
However, the Government has not strictly adhered to the guidelines for timely filling up of post of this important commission, sources said, adding “had the process been set in motion six months before the attaining of 65 years of age by S M Desalphine, this important Commission would have not become headless”.
It is worthwhile to mention here that State Electricity Regulatory Commission has the responsibility of fixation of tariff for all sorts of consumers besides regulating operation of power system. It also regulates power purchase and procurement process of the transmission utilities. The SERC Chairman oversees the functioning of the Power Development Department vis-à-vis providing facilities to consumers and is the supreme authority to decide on the Public Interest Litigations and complaints against the Power Department by the consumers.
In response to a question, sources said, “keeping in view the lackadaisical approach adopted by the State Government towards several other Commissions, nobody knows when SERC would get its new Chairperson”, adding “SERC is the latest addition in the list of Commissions, which are either headless or virtually defunct during the past quite long time thereby belying the claims of the good governance”.
“State Human Rights Commission is the testimony of the Government’s casual approach towards the constitutional bodies, which have been rendered as things only to be boasted off in the public speeches”, sources said. Constituted to protect the human rights of the people, the SHRC doesn’t have Chairman for the past over one and half year. Justice Syed Bashir-ud-Din was the last Chairman of this Commission.
Besides the post of Chairman, one post of member is also lying vacant in this important constitutional body and at present the Commission is having only three members, sources said, adding “the inordinate delay in appointment of Chairman was also pointed out by the Commission in its report tabled in the State Legislature during the last Budget Session but till date this Commission has not received any attention from the Government”.
Similar is the fate of State Commission for Backward Classes, which is having only Chairman and posts of all the four members are lying vacant for the past quite long time. “This Commission is virtually defunct due to the State Government’s failure to have the full quorum of this constitutional body in place”, sources regretted. As per the rules, the Commission recommends enlisting certain areas and downtrodden sections as backward to extend them certain concessions but in the absence of quorum its Chairman is finding it difficult to ensure smooth functioning of the Commission and meet the objectives behind its constitution.
“Though the Public Service Commission is functioning yet four posts of members are lying vacant for the past quite long time”, sources said, adding “even there is inordinate delay in the appointment of Ombudsman for the Urban Local Bodies despite the fact that the same is imperative to ensure transparency and check maladministration in the Municipalities”.
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