Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana’s Energy Anil Vij today administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed member Shiv Kumar of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) at his office in the Haryana Civil Secretariat.
On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department A.K. Singh, HERC Chairman Nand Lal Sharma, Member (Law) Mukesh Garg, Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Chandra Shekhar, Managing Director of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVNL) Ashok Kumar Meena, Managing Director of Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPNL) J. Ganeshanan, Director of New and Renewable Energy Priyanka Soni, Electricity Lokpal R.K. Khanna, Deputy Director Media Pardeep Malik along with senior officials of the power corporations and family members of the newly appointed member Shiv Kumar were present.
It is noteworthy that HERC consists of a Chairman and two members. One member’s position had been vacant, which has now been filled, completing the quorum of the Commission. The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission was established on August 16, 1998 under the Haryana Electricity Reform Act, 1997, and formally commenced functioning on August 17, 1998.
Significantly, after Odisha, Haryana was the second state to restructure its electricity boards, separating distribution, transmission, and generation, and forming HERC for regulation. Later, with the implementation of the Electricity Act, 2003 in June 2003, the Commission has been ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Act in the state.
It may be recalled that Shiv Kumar was born and brought up in village Ahun of Kaithal district, Haryana. He obtained his LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from Kurukshetra University. After qualifying the Civil Services Examination, he joined the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in 1991 as an Assistant Commandant, served for 14 years, and rose to the rank of Senior Commandant. During this period, he also worked on deputation as Deputy Director with the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission for three years.
From 2006 until his selection in HERC, he worked with Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. (TPDDL), serving in the legal, enforcement, and vigilance departments. He has also conducted extensive research on the history of his village and authored the book “Ahun Gaon Ka Itihas” which traces its roots from the Rigveda through the Puranas and Mahabharata, documenting its evolution up to the modern era.