Chandigarh’s electricity privatisation move in direct conflict with nation’s agenda, says court

Asserting that the move goes against ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas’, the High Court said the undue hurry to hand over the profit-making department to the private entity in this situation of crisis seems to be misplaced.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that the Chandigarh administration’s proposed action of electricity privatisation is in direct conflict with the nation's agenda ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas’. Hearing a petition on May 28 of U.T. Powermen Union, Chandigarh, which has challenged the decision of the privatisation of electricity in Chandigarh, Justices Jitendra Chauhan and Vivek Puri observed “..The proposed action of privatisation is in direct conflict with the nation's agenda ‘Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas’. We feel that privatisation is not a panacea for all the ills and privatisation with blind motive of so-called efficiency falls flat as this department is not only a profitable one but also time and again matched the high standards of customers' satisfaction and has a big role in maintaining the City Beautiful.” “With great pain and anguish, it is recorded that we are unable to reconcile with the fact that when the whole world is grappling with the deadly virus, when there is no oxygen, no ICUs, a long queue at the cremation grounds and no place in the hospitals, the undue hurry on the part of the administration to hand over the profit-making department to the private entity at this stage of the history and in this situation of crisis faced by the entire mankind, seems to be misplaced,” added the judges.