Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy, while Chief Minister Hemant Soren and senior officials from Raj Bhavan and the state energy department were present on the occasion.
Photo: SNS
Jharkhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (JSERC) got a new chairman on Tuesday after remaining headless for nearly a year. Former judge of the Jharkhand High Court, Justice Navneet Kumar, took oath as chairman of the commission at a special ceremony held at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath of office and secrecy, while Chief Minister Hemant Soren and senior officials from Raj Bhavan and the state energy department were present on the occasion. Both the Governor and the Chief Minister congratulated Justice Kumar on his appointment.
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The post of JSERC chairman had been vacant since June 2024. Justice Kumar will serve for a tenure of five years or until the age of 65, whichever comes earlier.
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Born and educated in Ranchi, Justice Kumar completed his schooling at St. John’s High School and graduated from St. Xavier’s College. He obtained his LL.B. from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University, in 1987 and later earned an LL.M. from the same institution. After practicing as an advocate in the Delhi and Patna High Courts for nearly a decade, he joined the Jharkhand judicial services in December 2001 as Additional Judicial Commissioner, Ranchi.
Over the years, he held several key judicial and administrative posts, including OSD to the Governor of Jharkhand (2003), Additional District and Sessions Judge, Dhanbad (2005), senior faculty at the Judicial Academy, Jharkhand, and Member Secretary of Jhalsa (2008). He also served as Principal Judge of the Family Court, Ranchi (2010), and later as Principal District and Sessions Judge in Lohardaga, Garhwa, and Ranchi.
In October 2021, he was elevated as Judge of the Jharkhand High Court, a position he held until his retirement in March 2025.
With his appointment, the state government expects the electricity regulatory body to function with renewed pace, particularly in addressing tariff issues, consumer grievances, and power sector reforms.
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