New Delhi, Keeping important regulatory posts vacant is not only causing a delay in the decision-making in the power sector but also derailing the reforms.

Such an important position of a tribunal body needs to be filled at the earliest in order to speed up the decision-making process and also for the smooth functioning of the tribunal body, sources said.

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission are without a chairperson.

The appellate tribunal (APTEL) has been without a chairperson since Justice Manjula Chellur retired in August 2021. The regulatory commission (CERC) has been without a chairperson since P.K. Pujari, who was appointed in February 2018 after retiring as power secretary, completed an extended term at the commission in June.

A Supreme Court judge headed selection panel had recommended the name of three candidates for the appointment of Chairperson of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). According to sources, the three names recommended for the post of APTEL Chairperson are Manjula Chellur, who had earlier served as Chairperson of the tribunal from August 2018 to August 2021 and has now re-applied for the position.

The other two names recommended by the panel are Sanjay Yadav, the former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, and R.S. Chauhan, the former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court. The panel has sent its recommendation to the government, but the government is yet to make the final selection for the Chairperson's position.

As per earlier reports, the Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India had reprimanded the Centre for not filling the position of APTEL Chairman. The court had even issued notices to the Centre and Attorney General and sought their response on the matter of the APTEL chairperson's appointment.

For CERC chairperson's post, the power ministry had in February suggested the names of 10 former bureaucrats but the government is yet to announce its pick.