SC Asks Government To Replace Justice Narasimha Reddy

The Congress government suffered a setback in the Supreme Court of India today on the issue of the existing judicial commission set up to inquire into the power deals entered into in Telangana under the previous BRS government.

Chief Justice of India Justice D Y Chandrachud ordered the replacement of the Chairman of the inquiry commission Justice Narasimha Reddy.

Justice Chandrachud issued the orders after hearing former CM K Chandrashekar Rao's petition in the Supreme Court.

Speaking on the occasion, the CJI also objected to the Chairman of the Commission holding a press meet. The three-member bench including the CJI said that it was not right for Justice Reddy to express his views in a press meet.

Justice Reddy's replacement has been ordered with immediate effect, and the Telangana government told the court that it would announce the name of the new Chairman by Monday.

Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Siddharth Luthra argued on behalf of the State government, and another senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued on behalf of KCR. "When there are tribunals, how can there be a judicial inquiry into power purchase agreements?" Rohatgi asked while presenting his arguments. He also told the apex court that the KCR government had purchased electricity to tide over a power crisis at the time of the formation of the new State, and at lower than the market rate. He said the then government had bought the power for only Rs 3.90 per unit.

"My client is a former chief minister, and the present CM Revanth Reddy has already filed several RTIs on the issue. This is just an act of vendetta. My client has been declared guilty before the trial. With the ERC in place, there is no need for a commission of inquiry again. There is a provision for purchasing electricity without tenders in case of an emergency. We have purchased power from a State government. And we have used sub-critical technology for the Bhadradri thermal plant only through government agencies," Rohatgi told the court.

However, there was an unexpected development during the lunch break. Justice Narasimha Reddy, through an advocate, sent a letter to the Supreme Court informing it that he was withdrawing from the probe into the power deal. The Supreme Court then gave time for the appointment of someone else in his place, and added that the commission headed by a new judge may continue the inquiry as per the notification already issued. Responding to this, the government said that the new Chairman would be appointed by Monday.

For the uninitiated, the State government had set up the judicial commission with Justice Narasimha Reddy to inquire into the power deals signed during the tenure of the BRS government.