Former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has called the inquiry commission set up by the Congress government to probe the alleged irregularities in the power sector during his tenure as “illegal”. He has urged retired chief justice Narasimha Reddy, who heads the commission, to step down, accusing him of disregarding the principles of natural justice with his conduct.

Rao was miffed by certain comments made by the retired chief justice before the media on the alleged irregularities in the power sector, particularly the power purchase agreement with Chhattisgarh, even before the former chief minister deposed before the commission.

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In a long letter to the head of the inquiry commission, Rao, more popularly known as KCR, explained the power situation in Telangana after its formation in 2014 and the constraints faced by his government. After the bifurcation of the state, there was a shortfall of 2700MW in Telangana and AP violated the reorganisation act by not supplying 1500MW. Telangana, linked only to the Southern Grid, could not find surplus power anywhere other than neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Rao accused the Congress government of being politically vindictive. “The current government had ordered the commission of inquiry with a clear political motive and to discredit the earlier government,” wrote KCR. He further said that the commission headed by the former chief justice was itself illegal.

“Bypassing the well-known legal standing that inquiry commissions cannot be constituted against the orders of the Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC), Mr Revanth Reddy’s government has set up a Commission of Inquiry under your chairmanship. Your taking charge of the commission without informing the government that the constitution of such a commission was illegal, that too despite being a former chief justice of the High Court, is highly regrettable,” added the former chief minister. He placed his objections on record for the decision of the inquiry commission to begin the proceedings “illegally” and allegedly without examining the issues in proper perspective.

Rao also justified his decisions when the state was undergoing a severe power crisis, saying that exceptional situations warrant such extraordinary decisions. He further accused the retired chief justice of vilifying the BRS government, stating that he had lost the moral standing to head the commission of inquiry. “I believe you have crossed the limits (by going) beyond the terms of reference in apportioning unjustified blame on the government which shows your determination to discredit the erstwhile government,” KCR said, adding that it would be futile for him to depose before the commission.