Bombay High Court stays MERC's decision on its hearings and recordings

On Friday, the HC acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Anil Wadpalliwar through his counsel Shreerang Bhandarkar

In a major setback to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has stayed its (the commission's) resolution to stop recording its hearings and to destroy existing recordings. On Friday, the HC acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Anil Wadpalliwar through his counsel Shreerang Bhandarkar.

All three members of the commission – chairman Anand Kulkarni, IM Bohari and Mukesh Khullar – on September 4 had unanimously passed a resolution to stop recording the public hearings and to destroy the archives.

MERC had said that the decision was taken in accordance with the rules on safekeeping and destroying documents/office records based on their utility and importance. Advocate Bhandarkar told the court of Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and Justice MG Giratkar that the practice was illegal.

MERC counsel Sudhir Puranik justified the resolution but when the court did not agree, he requested a status quo instead of staying it. However, the court stayed the resolution.

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