Ministry of Power had issued a public notice on its website on 27/04/2021 enclosing the draft National Electricity Policy 2021, and copy of the Govt. of India order by which an expert group has been constituted and calling for comments from stake holders within 21 days of the date of notice (27/04/2021)

2. Subsequently, a number of representations had been sent to the Power Ministry and to the PMO to protest against this move to amend the National Electricity Policy, particularly at a time when the entire country is in the grip of the pandemic. In All India Power Engineers Federation letter no. 38-2021, All India Power Engineers Federation has stressed that “the power engineers and workers should be allowed to devote themselves to the task at hand which is our hourly and daily struggle to provide uninterrupted electricity supply”. All India Power Engineers Federation has registered its strong protest (letter no. 38-2021) against the tempering with the electricity supply industry at a time of acute distress. Certainly, this was not the occasion or the time for Govt. of India to pursue its agenda of privatisation.

3. Further, All India Power Engineers Federation has pointed out several instances where the Ministry of Power documents for amendment of National Electricity Policy are not in consonance with the specific provisions of Electricity Act 2003. Thereby the Ministry of Power draft proposals as contained in the letter of 27/04/2021 and order of 12/04/2021 suffer from acute legal infirmity and thereby deserve to be scrapped. Further, in our representation letter no. 39-2021 we have given specific instances of how the provisions of the Electricity Act 2003 have been infringed, particularly since the two fundamental conditions for over hauling of the policy have not been implemented, viz consultation with state governments and consultation with Authority (CEA).

4. Copies of our representations no. 38-2021 dated 04/05/2021 and 39-2021 dated 06/05/2021 are attached for ready reference.

5. In view of the above facts and circumstances, All India Power Engineers Federation again requests that the date for submission of comments may be extended to six months since the present period of 21 days is totally inadequate and contrary to the circumstances of emergency of pandemic prevailing across the country.

Thank you with regards.

Sincerely Yours

Shailendra Dubey

Chairman