The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to file an affidavit clarifying allegations that the state government has failed to clear “thousands of crores” in dues payable to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), forcing the power utility to raise loans.The Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor held that the issue warranted a response on merits, even as the question of the maintainability of the public interest litigation (PIL) could be examined at an appropriate stage.“In our view, the issue of maintainability can be gone into at an appropriate stage; but the facts prayed before the Court are such that this Court would require a reply from the respondents on merits,” the Bench observed.The order came on a PIL filed by Jaskirat Singh and other petitioners against the State of Punjab and other respondents. The petitioners were represented by senior advocate Baltej Singh Sidhu, along with advocates Shehbaz Thind, Mannat Khurana, and Mohabat Sandhu.Among other reliefs, the petitioners sought directions to the state government and other respondents to clear outstanding electricity dues of Rs. 2,382.40 crore owed by government departments as of the end of July 2026, along with applicable surcharges and other charges. They also sought directions to PSPCL to recover the amount or, alternatively, disconnect the electricity supply to defaulting departments in accordance with the law.Another prayer sought directions to PSPCL to recover trade receivables amounting to Rs. 8,142.47 crore, as reflected in its balance sheet as of March 31, following proper reconciliation.The petitioners also sought the complete record concerning a proposed loan of Rs. 10,000 crore, a reported arranger fee of Rs. 150 crore, and a subsequent bank loan of Rs. 5,500 crore. They pointed out that PSPCL was already carrying borrowings of approximately Rs. 14,280 crore as of March 31.Opposing the PIL on grounds of maintainability, Punjab Advocate General and senior advocate Maninderjit Singh Bedi argued that the petitioners had not adequately established their credentials to institute public interest proceedings.“Having gone through the objection taken by the respondents, we find that the issue raised by the petitioners in the present matter does involve an element of public interest, since, it is asserted that the state government has not cleared the dues of PSPCL to the extent of thousands of crores and instead the PSPCL is being forced to take loans,” the Bench observed.The Bench added that the question of maintainability could be examined at an appropriate stage. However, it held that the issues raised in the petition warranted a response from the respondents on merits.“In the facts of the case, we, therefore, call upon the Chief Secretary of the State of Punjab to file its affidavit clarifying the factual assertions which are made in the present petition,” the Bench directed.Before concluding the order, the Bench observed: “We may also indicate that the law is well settled that this Court, in appropriate matters, can take up the causes of public interest on its own. Though we find that the specific details about earlier matters filed by the petitioner have not been disclosed, considering the issue which is raised before us, we are prima facie of the view that the matter does raise issues of substantial public interest.”The case will now come up for hearing on November 12.