The Supreme Court directed the newly constituted selection committee for the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to immediately commence appointments for vacant chairperson and member posts, ordering identification of suitable candidates and completion of the recruitment process within two months to ensure proper functioning of the regulatory authority.
The Supreme Court directed the recently constituted selection committee for the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) to immediately begin the process of filling vacant posts of chairperson and members in the regulatory body.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi ordered the panel to identify suitable candidates and complete the appointment process within a period of two months.
The direction came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by non-governmental organisation Energy Watchdog, which had approached the apex court highlighting the prolonged vacancies in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission and the resulting disruption in its functioning.
The petition sought regular appointments to the DERC and also requested the constitution of a statutory selection committee under Section 85 of the Electricity Act, 2003, for recommending appointments to the commission.
According to the plea, the DERC was functioning with only two pro-tem technical members and had been operating without a regular chairperson for nearly a year. Due to the lack of a properly constituted commission, adjudicatory and regulatory functions had virtually come to a standstill.
The petitioner informed the Court that consumer grievances and complaints had not been effectively heard or listed since July 15, 2025, severely impacting electricity consumers in the national capital.
The matter had earlier come up before the Supreme Court on May 25, when the Bench expressed serious concern over the delay by the Delhi government in constituting the selection committee required for appointments to the regulatory body.
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At the previous hearing, the Court had sharply questioned the State government over the prolonged inaction and observed that the appointment process appeared to be moving nowhere despite the continuing vacancies.
During that hearing, counsel appearing for the Delhi government informed the Bench that a proposal to constitute the selection committee had been moved on May 4, 2026. The government had sought additional time and assured the Court that once the committee was constituted, the appointments could be completed within three months.
The Supreme Court, however, insisted on a definite timeline and directed the government to return with a clear indication of the exact number of days required for notifying the selection committee so that a firm schedule could be fixed for the completion of the appointment process.
When the matter was taken up again on Friday, the Court was informed that the selection committee had now been formally constituted.
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Taking note of this development, the Bench directed the committee to immediately initiate the process of selecting candidates for the vacant positions of chairperson and members of the DERC and ensure that the exercise is completed within two months.
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission plays a crucial role in regulating electricity distribution, tariff determination, consumer grievance redressal, and oversight of power utilities in the national capital. The prolonged absence of regular appointments had raised concerns regarding regulatory paralysis and delays in addressing disputes and consumer complaints.
With the Supreme Court now fixing a strict timeline for appointments, the matter is expected to bring renewed focus on restoring the effective functioning of the electricity regulatory framework in Delhi.
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