SC Defers DERC Chairman's Oath, Issues Notice To Centre And LG On Delhi Government's Plea

The Supreme Court has deferred the oath-taking ceremony of the appointment of Justice Umesh Kumar as the chairperson of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission till July 11, the date it will hear the case. “The administering of oath to the former judge of Allahabad High Court stands deferred,” said a bench comprising Chief justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha. “It has been understood that the administering of oath, in pursuance of the notification of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs dated June 21, 2023 to the former judge of the Allahabad High Court shall stand deferred.” Observing that since the matter involved “pure question of law”, the bench sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani and fixed the plea for hearing on July 11. The appointment of the DERC chairperson has led to a power tussle between the Delhi government and the office of the LG and it led to filing of a fresh case in the top court. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the office of the LG, said that the retired judge recommended by the Delhi Government, Justice Rajeev Kumar Shrivastava, had declined to accept the post citing personal difficulties.