KCR moves SC against HC order on probe into power purchase deals

A division bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the case for hearing on Tuesday

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the state high court orders refusing to stall the ongoing judicial probe into the alleged irregularities in the power sector during his regime.

On July 1, the Telangana high court dismissed KCR’s petition seeking to stall the ongoing judicial probe into the alleged irregularities in power sector during his regime (PTI)

A division bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the case for hearing on Tuesday, people familiar with the matter said.

On July 1, the Telangana high court dismissed KCR’s petition seeking to stall the ongoing judicial probe into the alleged irregularities in power sector during his regime.

In his petition in the HC filed on June 24, KCR questioned the constitution of the justice L Narasimha Reddy Commission to investigate into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of 1,000 MW of power from Chhattisgarh and also the construction of the Bhadradri and Yadadri Thermal Power Plants during the previous regime.

The former chief minister argued that the order issued by the Congress government on March 14, constituting the judicial commission was in violation of the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 and Electricity Act-2003. “The commission has no jurisdiction as the terms of reference were subject matter of adjudication before both Telangana and Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commissions,” he said.

KCR alleged that the proceeding initiated by the commission “suffers from bias and the issue pending before it has already been pre-judged” and said he had written a letter to Justice Narasimha Reddy to recuse himself from heading the panel.

The high court bench, however, rejected the argument of KCR that the commission’s observations were pre-judged. It also refused to buy his argument that the judicial commission had no jurisdiction to inquire into the power purchase agreement or the construction of the power projects.