New Delhi: Reliance Industries and its two foreign partners- UK-based BP Exploration (Alpha) and Niko Resources of Canada- on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that they would be writing to the government to resolve the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute through mediation.
The three companies wanted a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi to stop the hearing in the case till the mediation is over as they wanted "attempt mediation" for deciding the case.
However, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the government, opposed the request and asked the apex court to continue with the hearing.
"If, in the meantime, anything will happen, we will inform the court," the AG said.
The bench also declined the joint request, saying "if you come with a successful mediation, wonderful. We will dispose of the matter then."
The SC has since Tuesday started final hearing on the three appeals led by Reliance Industries against a February 2025 decision of the Delhi High Court, which set aside a 2018 international arbitration ruling favouring the Mukesh Ambani-owned company in a $1.73-billion dispute with ONGC over gas migration in the Krishna Godavari basin.
While setting aside the arbitration award of July 24, 2018, for being contrary to the settled position of law, the HC had accepted the government's plea that Reliance and its foreign partners- UK-based BP Exploration (Alpha) and Niko Resources of Canada-of committing an "insidious fraud" and "unjust enrichment of over $1.729 billion" by siphoning gas from deposits they had no right to exploit.
The three companies wanted a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi to stop the hearing in the case till the mediation is over as they wanted "attempt mediation" for deciding the case.
However, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the government, opposed the request and asked the apex court to continue with the hearing.
"If, in the meantime, anything will happen, we will inform the court," the AG said.
The bench also declined the joint request, saying "if you come with a successful mediation, wonderful. We will dispose of the matter then."
The SC has since Tuesday started final hearing on the three appeals led by Reliance Industries against a February 2025 decision of the Delhi High Court, which set aside a 2018 international arbitration ruling favouring the Mukesh Ambani-owned company in a $1.73-billion dispute with ONGC over gas migration in the Krishna Godavari basin.
While setting aside the arbitration award of July 24, 2018, for being contrary to the settled position of law, the HC had accepted the government's plea that Reliance and its foreign partners- UK-based BP Exploration (Alpha) and Niko Resources of Canada-of committing an "insidious fraud" and "unjust enrichment of over $1.729 billion" by siphoning gas from deposits they had no right to exploit.
