Constitutional Court Seeks Replies from Power Companies on Challenge to NEPRA Tariff Determination; Grants Time to Submit Documents

Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court has sought replies from power generation companies regarding their challenge to NEPRA’s tariff determination, while granting NEPRA additional time to submit the relevant documents.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, heard the appeals filed by power producers against NEPRA’s tariff decision.

During the hearing, the counsel for the power companies, Salman Aslam Butt, argued that the tariff determination was unlawful because the position of NEPRA chairman was vacant at the time. He contended that in the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman could not legally convene the authority’s meeting, and the tariff order also lacked the chairman’s signature.

Justice Rizvi questioned how the authority would function in the absence of a chairman and inquired when NEPRA concluded the hearings and when the chairman was appointed. The counsel informed the court that the tariff hearings were completed in March 2013, while the chairman was appointed in May 2013.

NEPRA’s counsel requested time to submit the complete record and required documents. The court accepted the request and directed NEPRA to file all written submissions and documentation before the next hearing.