AI Structured Summary
Not yet generated for this judgment
Judgment
Sandeep Sharma, J
While inviting attention of this court to the short reply-affidavit filed on behalf of respondent No.1, Mr. R.L. Chaudhary, learned counsel for the petitioner, states that since dispute sought to be raised in the instant petition has been already raised by the Government of Himachal Pradesh by way of filing a representation to the Government of India, present petition can be disposed of with a direction to Government of India to consider and decide the representation, expeditiously.
Having perused the affidavit dated 11.9.2023filed by Mr. Ravi Prakash Pradhan, Director, Ministry of Power, Government of India, this court finds that the Ministry of Power, Government of India, is in receipt of representation from the Government of Himachal Pradesh as well as comments thereto given by Government of Punjab but final decision is yet to be taken. Till the time, appropriate decision is not taken by the Government of India qua the issue of handing over Shanan Power Project, which was given to State of Punjab, by way of allocation under Reorganization Act, this court cannot proceed to decide the matter.
In view of above, present petition is disposed of at this stage, with the liberty to the petitioner to approach this court again, laying therein challenge, if required, to the decision, if any, taken by the Union of India on the representation filed by the Government of Himachal Pradesh.
This court hopes and trusts that the Ministry of Power, Government of India, having taken note of long standing dispute between the Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, would make an endeavour to settle the dispute expeditiously, preferably within a period of two months.
Needless to say, authority concerned, while considering representation as detailed in the affidavit filed by the Government of India, shall afford an opportunity of hearing to the parties concerned.
The petition stands disposed of in the afore terms, alongwith all pending applications.