SC declines to postpone final hearing in KG basin gas migration dispute

NEW DELHI: (May 20) The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined a submission by Reliance Industries to put the hearing in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute on hold for the time being as the company and two other foreign firms sought mediation or conciliation with the Centre for an amicable resolution.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is hearing the appeals of RIL (Reliance Industries Ltd), BP Exploration (Alpha) Ltd and Niko (NECO) Ltd against a Delhi High Court verdict that set aside an arbitral award in their favour in the gas migration dispute with the Centre.

The firms assailed the February 14, 2025 order of the high court setting aside an order of the single-judge bench that had upheld the arbitral award in favour of RIL and its two partners for allegedly siphoning gas from deposits they had no right to exploit.