The Meghalaya High Court has suspended the orders issued by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) to Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) for payment of 25 percent of the alleged outstanding principal amount to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).
The grievance of the MePDCL is regarding the order dated June 14, 2022 wherein the CERC has directed for payment of 25 per cent of the alleged outstanding principal amount to the NTPC within a period of three weeks, which however is made subject to the outcome of the matter before the CERC.
During the hearing on July 1, Meghalaya’s Advocate General Amit Kumar told the High Court that at the time when the MePDCL approached the CERC, an order of status quo dated February 17, 2022 was directed to be maintained by the parties.
Kumar also told the court that the matter has since been finally heard and the same has been reserved for orders.
He also stated that there is no request made by the NTPC for any interim deposit and therefore such order passed by the CERC is without any basis. He therefore pleaded that in the interim, the CERC order be stayed.
After hearing the plea by Kumar, the High Court suspended the order passed by CERC. The court also directed Kumar to file additional documents by way of an affidavit in support of the case. The matter will be heard again on July 19.