Orissa High Court Disposes of PIL on OERC Chairman's Club Presidency
The Orissa High Court disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) on Thursday that sought intervention against the continuance of Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) chairman as president of Bhubaneswar Club. The petition was withdrawn by the petitioner, leading to the court's disposal order.
Petition Details and Withdrawal
Subrat Kumar Tripathy, a resident of Bhubaneswar, filed the petition on October 24, 2025, alleging conflict of interest and statutory violations. The court recorded a memo of withdrawal submitted by the petitioner's counsel, Ramdas Achary, and permitted the withdrawal. In the order, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman stated, "Mr Ramdas Achary, counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner, after making substantial arguments, seeks leave of this court to withdraw the instant writ petition. A memo to that effect filed in the court is taken on record. Leave is granted. Accordingly, the instant writ petition is disposed of as withdrawn."
Background of the OERC Chairman
Pradip Kumar Jena, a 1989 batch IAS officer and former chief secretary, assumed office as OERC's chairman on April 8, 2025. He was elected president of Bhubaneswar Club on September 21, 2025. The petition contended that while serving as chairman of OERC, a quasi-judicial body under the Electricity Act, 2003, and the Orissa State Electricity Reform Act, 1995, Jena contested and was elected president of Bhubaneswar Club. The club's membership includes several corporate and industrial entities regulated by the OERC, raising concerns about dual roles.
Allegations of Conflict of Interest
The petitioner's counsel argued that this dual role violates statutory provisions relating to conflict of interest. Specifically, it was alleged that holding positions in both a regulatory body and a club with regulated members could compromise impartiality and fairness. However, after presenting these arguments, the counsel sought permission to withdraw the petition, which the court granted, leading to the disposal without a ruling on the merits of the allegations.
The case highlights ongoing debates about ethical standards and transparency in public offices, particularly in regulatory roles where potential conflicts of interest can arise from external affiliations.
