Coming at a time when the Punjab State Electricity Board and the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) seem to be on a collision course, the relevance of his views can hardly be over-emphasised.

The Electricity Act of 2003 envisaged having electricity regulatory commissions as judicial bodies for determination of power tariff and other issues concerning power. Section 108 of the Act allows state governments the power to give policy directions to the regulatory commission, but not in case of subsidies, he said on the sidelines of the conference.

The regulatory body has to take decisions without any tinge of populism, PSEB adviser Padamjit Singh said.

On whether Punjab can appeal for freezing tariff hike, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) member Bhanu Bhushan said such a decision was not possible for any state government in the face of acute power shortage and rising power purchase prices. So whose decision prevails if the state electricity board and regulatory commission choose to differ? "The state electricity boards can appeal against the orders of the regulatory commission in the appellate authority," he said.