The High Court (HC) on Thursday declared two provisions of the Quick Rental Power Plant law-granting immunity to quick rental power plants from legal challenges and giving the energy minister sole authority to approve electricity purchase plans-'illegal.'
A High Court Division bench consisting of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury delivered the judgment, making absolute a rule the bench issued on In the rule issued on September 2, the court had asked the concerned authorities to explain why these two provisions should not be declared illegal.
Following a hearing on November 7, the High Court set Thursday as the date to pronounce the judgment in the case. The rule was issued after an initial hearing on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers Dr. Shahdeen Malik and Tayeb-Ul-Islam Showrov.
The petition challenged the legality of sections 9 and 6(2) of the 'Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply (Special Provisions) Act, 2010.'
The court instructed the legislative drafting wing of the Law Ministry, the Finance Division, the Power Division of the Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Ministry, as well as the Chairmen of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and Petrobangla, to respond to the rule.
