India has removed the chairman of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, more than a month before the scheduled end of his tenure, according to a federal government notice issued on Saturday.
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions announced the decision without disclosing any reason for Gupta’s dismissal. Gupta, who previously served as a top official at India’s environment ministry, was appointed SECI chairman in June 2023 and was expected to serve until next month. He declined to comment when contacted.
Gupta’s tenure at SECI included several high-profile and contentious decisions. In late 2023, SECI temporarily barred Reliance Power from participating in renewable energy tenders. The decision was later withdrawn following a court directive.
SECI also faced scrutiny last year over a solar agreement involving billionaire Gautam Adani, which had been signed prior to Gupta’s appointment. In November, U.S. prosecutors charged Adani and several executives with alleged bribery and securities fraud. Adani rejected the allegations as unfounded, and SECI stated it had not engaged in any wrongdoing.
Gupta had previously stated that SECI was preparing to launch an initial public offering but had not finalized details. “We have plans to go public,” he said last year. “But we are yet to take a final call on the size of the IPO.”
SECI, under the federal Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, is India’s primary agency for implementing renewable energy tenders and policies as the country pushes to meet its ambitious clean energy targets.
