Govt may move SC for Reliance Industries gas to NTPC

“Of course. Why not. It is our right. There is nothing wrong in that,” Power Secretary H S Brahma said when asked whether his ministry would approach the Supreme Court if required to get 12 MMSCMD gas for NTPC from Reliance Industries KG-D6 fields at USD 2.34 mmBtu.

Brahma’s comments came a day after a division bench of the high court allowed RIL to amend its plea in its suit against NTPC. RIL has stated that the bid price will get frustrated in view of government’s assertion to fix gas price.

Asked if the power ministry would challenge the division bench order or ask NTPC to do so, the Secretary said, “We will go to court if we do not get justice.”

On whether the ministry would seek to become an intervener in the ongoing gas dispute between Ambani brothers in the Supreme Court, he said the apex court would be approached only on NTPC-RIL case. Asked about any chance of out of court settlement of the case, he said, “Absolutely not, unless they agree to our terms and conditions. I am not asking anything extra.”  About the validity of the gas price decided by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), he said, though the EGoM decision was binding, there were other conditions (as agreed by RIL under the tender floated by NTPC for supply of gas) too and that NTPC had called global tender for supply of gas. About RIL’s application for amending their appeal in the Bombay High Court, he said, “... it is our duty (to approach the Supreme Court in case it did not get favourable judgement). We will also fight. We are requesting the Bombay High Court and the Attorney General would appear from our side.
We hope to get the judgment in the next fortnight.”