SC to commence final hearing on Ambani gas row on 20th Oct

The Supreme Court has decided to commence final hearing on the high-profile gas dispute between the group firms of Mukesh Ambani and his younger brother Anil from 20th October.

The government's petition on the issue and those of various power producers, mainly from Andhra Pradesh, and the Fertiliser Corporation of India would also be heard on that day.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan on Saturday posted the matter for final hearing after RNRL mentioned that the matter, which was originally scheduled for 1^st September may not be taken up that day by the bench as the Chief Justice would be leading the Constitutional Bench.

RNRL is fighting to get RIL to supply gas to it at USD 2.34 per mmBtu, the Mukesh Ambani group company has maintained that the price of the fuel needs to be approved by the government.

The government has filed a Special Leave Petition seeking to assert its right on the national resource.

It has also sought to declare as null and void that part of the Ambani family MoU that provides for dividing natural gas from KG-D6 fields between RIL and RNRL.

Counsel for all the parties, including Mukesh Ambani-run RIL and Anil Ambani group firm RNRL, said that they were ready for daily hearing of the matter from 20^th October.

While senior counsel Harish Salve, representing RIL, suggested the date, the counsel for both RNRL as well as the government said that they do not have any objection.

"We will start on that day and will finish as soon as possible," Salve said.

The bench also directed that all the parties to file all the documents including responses and rejoinders by that date.

Anil Ambani group had last month prayed for commencing final hearing on the matter on 1^st September, but the court had said it would on 1^st September decide when to take up the matter.

It was ADAG counsel Mukul Rohtagi who approached the court on Friday for mentioning the matter, but RIL counsel Salve suggested that it be taken up on 20^th October.