SC rejects RNRL plea for final hearing on Sept 1

New Delhi, July 30 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear Reliance Natural Resources Limited (RNRL) plea for commencing final hearing on gas dispute from September 1.

A bench headed Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said it would decide on final hearing date on September 1.

As the entire Bombay High Court record was before the apex court, the company's counsel Mukul Rohtagi requested that final hearing be taken up on September 1.

Questioning the need for early final hearing, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) counsel Harish Salve said, "What public interest would this serve?"

On Wednesday, the dispute over gas distribution between the Ambani brothers echoed in Parliament with Samajwadi Party (SP) members led by party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, demanding Petroleum Minister Murli Deora's resignation over the Centre's failure to ensure gas supply to the Dadri Power project in Uttar Pradesh.

Yadav alleged that the Centre had committed an injustice to Uttar Pradesh by denying gas to the Dadri Power plant and this in turn could cost the national exchequer Rs 30,000 crore.

The Anil Ambani owned RNRL has taken up Dadri project.

On Tuesday, Anil Ambani had flayed the Petroleum Ministry for colluding with his elder brother Mukesh's RIL in blocking gas supply for its power projects despite a firm commitment, upheld thrice by the Bombay High Court

Last month, the Bombay High Court had asked Reliance Industries to supply 28 million units of gas to Reliance Natural Resources for 17 years at 2.34 dollars per unit, after assigning 12 million units to the state-run power utility NTPC. (ANI)