The Telangana High Court on Wednesday passed an interim direction to the Central government not to take any coercive steps against Telangana State power utility companies, after hearing the State’s writ petition seeking to suspend the Centre’s order to pay ₹3,441.78 crore towards power dues to Andhra Pradesh.
A Bench of Justices P. Naveen Rao and Sambasivarao Naidu, passing the direction, issued notices to the Union of India and other respondents. The Bench instructed the Centre, Andhra Pradesh government, National Load Despatch Centre, Power System Corporation Limited, AP Power Generation Corporation Limited and Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission to file counter affidavits by October 18.
The Central government issued an instruction to Telangana government on August 29 seeking to pay principal power due amount of ₹3,441.78 crore and another sum of ₹3,315.14 crore as surcharge to A.P. within 30 days. The notice was issued under Section 92 of of AP Reorganisation Act. While the State government filed one writ petition challenging this notice, the Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited, the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited and the Telangana State Power Coordination Committee filed another plea seeking similar relief.
