RNRL asks SC to throw out government plea

Anil Ambani's Reliance Natural Resources Ltd on Friday asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the government's petition in the dispute over the price of gas supplied by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd from its Krishna-Godavari block.

In a counter-affidavit to the government's special leave petition, it said the government had no locus standi to seek any orders, and could only make submissions. ''An attempt is being made to reintroduce allegations that were withdrawn before Bombay High Court,'' the RNRL affidavit said.

The ministry of petroleum and natural gas had no role to play in the pending litigation between RIL and RNRL over the supply and pricing of the natural gas from the KG Basin, it said.

It added that the ministry's appeal against the Bombay High Court order directing RIL to supply gas as per the family agreement of 1995 was not maintainable.

It said the ministry had attempted to become a party during the pendency of the litigation between RIL and RNRL and was only allowed to intervene after the parties consented to it.

"In the course of proceedings before the HC, the ministry had filed several affidavits, but when RNRL made an application seeking cross-examination of the deponents of the affidavits, the ministry had withdrawn all its affidavits," it said. The appeal before the SC against the HC order was not maintainable, it added.