"We are still in the process of consultation from all the sources including our internal legal counsel," NTPC chairman and managing director R S Sharma told PTI when asked if he had taken legal opinion in the wake of the petroleum ministry moving the Supreme Court.
NTPC, which has taken RIL to court seeking implementation of a contract for supply of gas at USD2.34 per mmBtu - which is also the prayer of RNRL before the Supreme Court, is reportedly seeking opinion from the Attorney General on the government's plea that RIL has no right to fix gas price.
In the RNRL case, the Bombay High Court had ruled that RIL supply gas at $2.34 per mmBtu but asked the two sides to work out an agreement towards this.
RIL, which also recently moved an amendment in its petition before the High Court to say that the contract would be frustrated as the government has to fix the gas price, questioned the judgment saying it could not decide on its own -- a view supported by the Petroleum Ministry in its petition before the Supreme Court.
The government petition, which also seeks annulment of a private agreement between the Ambani groups on gas supply while asserting its ownership on natural resources, will be heard by the apex court to decide on admissibility.
The cross-appeals of RIL and RNRL and the government's SLP will come up for hearing on September 1.
The outcome of this legal battle would impact the course of NTPC's own case in the Bombay High Court, which has reserved the judgment on an appeal filed by NTPC in its suit against RIL.
When asked about the case before the High Court, Sharma declined to comment saying the matter was sub-judice. The issue between RIL and NTPC is whether the contract whereby Reliance was to supply gas to the power major has been concluded. RIL contends that contract is yet to be concluded.
