Overview

• A K Sharma has publicly accused department employees of acting as “anarchists” and alleged some have taken “supari” contracts to undermine his authority.
• The Energy Department employees’ union has formally called for Sharma’s ouster in protest against state plans to privatize power distribution that they say threaten jobs.
• Sharma’s office released an audio clip of a retired commissioner’s call with a superintending engineer to highlight alleged bureaucratic apathy.
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath convened a rare Energy Department review, warning that recurrent trippings, over-billing and unscheduled outages will not be tolerated.
• Despite feeder audits and high-profile confrontations, the task force on privatization has made no headway in resolving the minister-staff standoff.