20 May 2009

Competition Commission - finally takes off

Finally today, the Competition Commission of India will take off.  The lack of this key regulator was a result of bargaining trade offs between different rent seekers - for over 7 years. Much of it has been written about, so I will not discuss the past. However, the composition of the board, like that of most regulators is filled with people with limited or no experience from the world of real business or the practice of law. Like all regulatory appointments they will learn the ropes on the job. Pray for India they learn quickly.

The chairman is Dhanendra Kumar, former executive director of the World Bank. The others are Geeta Gauri, ex-director (tariffs), Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission; P N Parashar, former judicial member of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal; HC Gupta, former coal secretary and R Prasad, former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

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