Anil For Final Gas Row Hearing

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[Seeking early resolution to the gas supply dispute involving the Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and oil ministry, Anil Ambani on Wednesday said his group firm RNRL would approach the Supreme Court on Thursda for final hearing on September one, a move that is likely to find support with the government. There are also indications that the oil ministry will amend its petition to limit the prayers to government's right on fixing gas price, leaving alone the Ambani family deal - based on which an MoU was signed for supply of gas by RIL to RNRL. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on September one cross-appeals by both Ambani group firms, as also a petition by the Petroleum Ministry against a Bombay High Court order that asked RIL to supply gas to RNRL at $2.34 per mmBtu against the officially prescribed $4.2 per mmBtu. Anil Ambani, who arrived in New Delhi from Mumbai on Wednesday morning to meet key cabinet ministers, said that RNRL lawyer had served notices to RIL and the petroleum ministry saying that a mention would be made in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking final hearing on September one. Asked about the response of the government to RNRL's notice, a top official involved in the process said, &quot;Why not... even we want expeditious hearing and settlement.&quot; On the other hand, a spokesperson of RIL, which Anil accused of deliberately delaying the matter and firing from the shoulders of the oil ministry, declined comment. Incidentally, Mukesh was in New Delhi on Tuesday and met key ministers, including possibly the Finance Minister. The Ambani gas battle also reverberated in Parliament, forcing adjournment of Lok Sabha thrice as Samajwadi Party members led by its president Mualayam Singh Yadav trooped into the well of the House demanding resignation of Petroleum Minister Murli Deora. Almost at the same time, talking to reporters, Anil cautioned the oil ministry against getting &quot;mislead and misguided&quot; by RIL and oppose RNRL's plea in Supreme Court tomorrow for expeditious hearing. &quot;I will be personally happy to be proven wrong if RIL also agrees to our request tomorrow if it genuinely wants to resolve the issue expeditiously,&quot; he said. In the meanwhile, consultations were on among the top officials of law and petroleum ministries as also the government counsel on the various aspects of petition filed by the oil ministry that apart from other things had sought direction for declaring the family MOU null and void. These follow a meeting that Petroleum and Law ministers had with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday night to discuss the government petition in the midst of allegations levelled by Anil on Oil Ministry's &quot;biased and partisan&quot; role favouring RIL in the gas dispute. The meeting on Tuesday night was attended by Petroleum and Law secretaries and government counsel Mohan Parasaran, who had earlier written to the law ministry stating he had not seen the final petition filed by the oil ministry in Supreme Court. (PTI)