HC for forming high-powered committee to examine Adani power deal

The High Court (HC) today ordered authorities concerned to form a high-level committee to scrutinize the power deal signed
between the government and the Adani Group of India and submit a report at
the court within two months of its formation.

The HC also ordered the authorities to submit all the documents related to
bargaining between both the sides on power deal at the court within a month.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice
Debasish Roy Chowdhury passed the order after holding hearing on a writ
petition filed by Supreme Court (SC) lawyer Md Abdul Qaium.

The writ was filed on November 13, challenging the legality of the power deal
signed between the government and the Adani Group of India. Terming the deal
unequal, unfair and opposite to the interest of the country, the petitioner
had pleaded for modifying the agreement on the basis of equity and fairness.

The petition also pleaded for cancelling the deal if Adani Group declines to
modify the agreement.

The petitioner had sent a legal notice to the Bangladesh Power Development
Board (BPDB) Chairman and the Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources, asking them to review or cancel the deal with Adani Group
in three days. As the notice went unheard, the petitioner filed the writ with
the High Court. (BSS)