What is the Justice Reddy Commission, against which KCR has moved Telangana High Court?

The Commission has been appointed by the Revanth Reddy government to investigate allegations of irregularities in the power sector during the time KCR was Chief Minister. What are these allegations?

Former Telangana CM, K. Chandrashekar Rao in a meeting

Former Telangana CM, K. Chandrashekar Rao has sought a stay on all further proceedings of the Justice Reddy Commission. (Photo via official Facebook)

Telangana High Court on Thursday (June 27) adjourned until Friday the hearing in a petition filed by Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao seeking a stay on all further proceedings of the Justice (retired) L Narasimha Reddy Commission.

What is the Narasimha Reddy Commission?

This March, four months after coming to power, the Congress government of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy appointed two judicial commissions to investigate (i) the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) made with Chhattisgarh in 2014-15, and construction of power projects at Yadadri and Bhadradri, and (ii) allegations of irregularities in the Kaleshwaram irrigation project.

After the creation of the separate state of Telangana in 2014, to ease the shortage of power, the TRS government of KCR had made several agreements with Chhattisgarh to purchase power. There were allegations that the Telangana government had purchased the power at high prices.

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What has the Commission done on the PPAs so far?

On June 11, the Commission issued a notice requesting a response from KCR by June 15, on the PPAs made during his tenure from 2014 to 2023. In his reply to the notice, KCR accused the Commission of bias and of being politically motivated, and asked Justice Reddy to recuse himself.

However, anticipating that he may be summoned to appear in person to record his statement, KCR filed a petition in the HC seeking a stay on all proceedings of the Commission.

He filed the petition after G Jagdish Reddy, who was Energy Minister in KCR’s Cabinet, was issued a notice to appear before the Commission to give his statement regarding the PPAs.

In his petition, KCR stated that the electricity was purchased as per rules. He also objected to Justice Reddy’s comments about allegations of irregularities while the probe was ongoing.

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What about the allegations regarding the power plants?

The Commission is looking into alleged irregularities in the construction of the Bhadradri Thermal Power Plant at Manuguru in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, and the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant at Damaracherla in Nalgonda district by Telangana State Power Generation Corporation (now renamed as TG GENCO).

D Prabhakar Rao, former CMD of Telangana Genco, and Suresh Chand, former Special Chief Secretary (Energy), have already appeared before the Commission and given their statements.