Government wants Ambani pact declared ‘null & void’:

The Special Leave Petition was filed by the petroleum ministry, a day after it filed an affidavit in response to Mukesh-led RIL’s petition in the Supreme Court challenging the high court order

New Delhi: The government on Saturday filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking a direction to declare as ‘null and void’ the private family agreement of the Ambanis that provides for gas supply by RIL to RNRL.

The government petition has named as respondents RIL led by Mukesh Ambani and RNRL headed by Anil Ambani which have separately filed cross-petitions against the Bombay High Court 15 June judgement.

The Special Leave Petition was filed by the petroleum ministry, a day after it filed an affidavit in response to Mukesh-led RIL’s petition in the Supreme Court challenging the high court order.

Just before the government moved its petition, RNRL filed its second affidavit saying the Petroleum Ministry’s affidavit yesterday was aimed at expanding its role and file pleadings that was not permissible to an intervener.

The petroleum ministry’s SLP today comes in the backdrop of a debate about the role the government could play as interevener or a respondent in the ongoing RIL-RNRL case and the latest move would enable the government to take up issues that have not been touched in the high court ruling.

Petroleum ministry also sought a stay on the high court judgement that asked RIL to supply gas to RNRL after mutually working out the modalities.

Besides asking for setting aside the high court order, the petition sought quashing of the interpretation of the June 15 ruling that relates to gas utilisation policy and PSC.