Govt not a party in gas row: RNRL

ADAG company Reliance Natural resources Ltd (RNRL) today said the government was not a party in the company’s ongoing dispute with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on gas supply.

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group (ADAG) company Reliance Natural resources Ltd (RNRL) on Wednesday said the government was not a party in the company’s ongoing dispute with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on gas supply.

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In a letter to the petroleum ministry, RNRL’s counsel Mahesh Aggarwal said the ministry has been joined by RIL in its SLP in the Supreme Court as an “intervener only, and not as a party respondent.”

The counsel further said that the Bombay High Court in its order dated October 22, 2008 had directed the ministry to be joined as an intervener in the appeal filed by RIL. It was specifically recorded by the court at that time too that the ministry “is not a party respondent and has been joined as an intervener for the limited purpose of assistance in the interpretation of the PSC (Production sharing Contract) between the government and RIL,” he noted.

RIL had relied upon the same order to join the ministry and describe it as an intervener in its SLP, the counsel said. The Supreme Court had issued notices to RIL, RNRL and the Centre on cross-appeals by both companies on their gas supply dispute. The court also posted the matter for hearing on July 20.

Meanwhile, ADAG chairman Anil Ambani on Wednesday met petroleum, fertiliser and finance secretaries on the gas supple row, reports PTI. The meeting with fertiliser secretary Atul Chaturvedi assumes importance in the backdrop of the senior government official having written a letter to the petroleum ministry that family agreements should not be allowed to override national interest.