ESSAR STEEL LIMITED Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petition impugns the directions issued by the respondent no.2 Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) in its letters dated 30 th March, 2011 and 21 st April, 2011 to respondent no.3 Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and respondent no.4 Niko Limited (Niko) and the consequential letter dated 4 th May, 2011 of RIL intimating to the petitioner that the supply of Natural Gas to the petitioner in terms of the Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) between the petitioner on the one hand and RIL & Niko on the other hand was likely to be affected in compliance of the said directions of MoPNG.

(2.) It is inter alia the contention of the petitioner in the writ petition that the aforesaid direction of MoPNG reducing the supply of Natural Gas (Gas) to the petitioner is in contravention of the policy/directions/guidelines framed by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) regarding allocation of limited available quantity of Gas to the consumers thereof.

(3.) The petition came up before this Court first on 10 th May, 2011. On 12 th May, 2011 the ASG appearing for the respondent no.1 Union of India (UOI) informed this Court that the EGoM will be meeting on 18 th May, 2011 to discuss the issue. The writ petition was accordingly adjourned to 24 th May, 2011.