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Supreme Court restrains Andhra Pradesh HC from passing orders on KG gas

Oil ministry had approached the apex court, saying such an order will directly affect the gas supply to sectors.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday restrained the Andhra Pradesh High Court from passing any order that might lead to an increase or cut in the allocation of gas from the KG-D6 fields to a particular sector.

The oil ministry had approached the apex court, saying such an order will directly affect the gas supply to sectors and, therefore, sought restraining the HC from passing any decision when the matter is already before the apex court.

?In fact, any increase in the allocation to one sector will mean corresponding cut for another sector. Hence, it is in the public interest to hear and dispose of these matters together,? the government said, seeking transfer of the petition filed by Independent Gas-Based Power Producers Association from the HC to the Supreme Court.

A bench headed by Justice HL Dattu restrained the court from passing any order till it took a decision on the Centre’s transfer petition.

The ministry of petroleum and natural gas said the apex court is already hearing similar appeals by the Federation of Farmers Association, Welspun Maxsteel and Essar Steel.

All the petitions had sought quashing of various policy decisions taken by the ministry in line with the decision of the empowered group of ministers regarding allocation of natural gas from the KG Basin to various sectors such as fertiliser, power, steel industries.

?It is in the interest of justice that the matters are all clubbed together for hearing and disposal,? ASG L Nageshwar Roa said.

The EGoM?s decision regarding the utilisation of natural gas does not suffer from any legal or constitutional infirmities and is binding on all the parties, the Centre stated in its transfer petition.

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First published on: 30-04-2014 at 04:30 IST
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