HERC chairman's post vacant since August
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HT Correspondent

TARDY Panel fails to recommend name in 5 months ( ) If the Election Commission of India approval was needed to scrutinise the applications for the post, the department could have written separately a power sector official

In what points towards tardy decision-making, the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), which regulates the power sector, has remained headless for the past two-anda-half months.
The three-member committee, which was constituted five months ago, is still to make its recommendations to the state government for the appointment of the chairman.

While the committee was scheduled to meet on November 3, the power department decided to defer the meeting, citing the model code of conduct for the byelection in Adampur and Ratia assembly constituencies.

Though the department is

said to be seeking approval of the Election Commission of India to scrutinise the 30-odd applications for the post and make the selection, there is a feeling that the power regulatory body’s post is a state-level post and the committee could have gone ahead with the selection process.
“If the ECI approval was needed, the department could have written separately,” a power sector official said, cit

ing the statewide teachers’ eligibility test held on November 5 and 6 in support.
The committee headed by a retired judge of high court has the state chief secretary and chairman, Central Electricity Authority, as members.Efforts were made to contact financial commissioner, power, Madhusudan Prasad, but he was not available.

While the power department had received over 30 applications including those of union land resources secretary Anita Chaudhary and retired IAS officer RN Prasher in August 2011, it is sitting over them and no progress has been made.

The post of HERC chairman had fallen vacant when Bhaskar Chatterjee, a retired IAS officer, completed his tenure on August 25 this year.