SC accepts RIL's fresh request to settle gas row with Centre

NEW DELHI: SC on Monday accepted a fresh request from Reliance Industries Ltd, which questioned govt's $2.81 billion demand for alleged pilferage of natural gas by RIL from ONGC block in KG Basin, to resolve the dispute bilaterally with the Centre.

When the plea for conciliation was made by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, attorney general R Venkataramani said a fresh request was made on Monday morning by RIL and govt is willing to consider the request.

The CJI-led bench, which had a week back declined to adjourn the hearing to July, agreed to postpone the four-day-long hearing to the third week of July after the AG said govt was not averse to exploring the bilateral dispute resolution process. "We will be most happy if the dispute is resolved through conciliation. If you come out with a settlement, we will dispose of the appeal," it said.

Last Wednesday, RIL made two attempts to convince the CJI-led bench to adjourn hearing, but the AG had preferred that hearing on RIL's appeal against Delhi HC judgment be concluded.