Supreme Court mandates one member of SERC to have legal background

The Supreme Court has passed an order stating that it is not mandatory for state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) to appoint a high court judge as the chairperson. However, one of the members of the SERC should have a legal background. The verdict comes in the backdrop of contrasting judgements by the Gujarat and the Madras high courts on the interpretation of Section 84 (2) of the Electricity Act, 2003, on the appointment of the chairpersons of SERCs.