PTCUL managing director change follows Uttarakhand High Court contempt direction

The Uttarakhand government has relieved Prakash Chandra Dhyani of additional charge as Managing Director of the Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (PTCUL). The move follows Uttarakhand High Court directions in a contempt case over non-compliance with an earlier order quashing his appointment. Meherban Singh Bisht has been given additional charge.

The Uttarakhand government has removed Prakash Chandra Dhyani from the additional charge of Managing Director at the Power Transmission Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited. The change followed a contempt case in the Uttarakhand High Court. The court directed Principal Secretary Energy R Meenakshi Sundaram to explain alleged non-compliance with earlier orders.

An order issued by R Meenakshi Sundaram said Dhyani is Director Human Resources at PTCUL. Dhyani was given extra charge as Managing Director on September 10, 2022. The order said this was temporary until a regular appointment or new government directions. Dhyani has now been relieved of that additional duty.

Uttarakhand High Court case on PTCUL Managing Director appointment

Meherban Singh Bisht, Additional Secretary in the Energy Department, has been given the extra responsibility of PTCUL Managing Director. The decision came amid court scrutiny of the post’s appointment process. The high court is examining whether the state followed the required procedure under the applicable rules.

Earlier in the day, a single bench of Justice Alok Kumar Verma directed Sundaram to appear through video conference on March 19. The court asked Sundaram to clarify why a previous order was not followed. These directions were issued during a hearing on a contempt petition.

PTCUL Managing Director role and 2021 rules on eligibility

The contempt petition was filed by Dehradun-based RTI activist Anil Baluni and others. The petition said the high court had quashed Dhyani’s appointment on February 18, 2026. The court also directed the state government to reconsider the appointment. It said reconsideration must follow the Uttarakhand Rules for Selection and Appointment of Managing Directors and Directors, 2021.

The high court had earlier held that Dhyani’s appointment breached Rule 9-A of the 2021 regulations. The rule requires an engineering degree for the Managing Director post. Dhyani allegedly does not have this qualification. The court linked this requirement to the standards set by the 2021 rules.

The court noted that the government could reconsider the matter within the legal framework. It said any fresh decision must strictly comply with the 2021 rules. The court also observed that if exemptions were granted, the government must explain them. It must show how alternative qualifications matched the required standards.

With inputs from PTI