The Supreme Court on Friday appointed former judge Ranjana Prakash Desai as the sole mediator in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute. The bench said, “The parties themselves have not been able to find a viable solution.” Justice Desai will now get help from two experts to resolve this case.
The Supreme Court on Friday appointed former apex court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai as the sole mediator in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute involving Reliance Industries and other parties, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi passed the order after being informed that the parties had been unable to find a viable solution.
“The parties themselves have not been able to find a viable solution. We suggest, on their behalf, that former judge of this court Ranjana Prakash Desai be requested to act as mediator,” the bench said.
“We also request the learned mediator to have the assistance of two domain experts, as may be suggested by the parties, for the aforesaid purpose,” it added.
Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, assured full cooperation with the mediator, according to PTI.
The court asked the parties to contact Justice Desai during the day or by the following day and fix a date and time at her convenience.
On May 20, the Supreme Court had rejected Reliance Industries' request to put the hearing in the dispute on hold while the company and two foreign firms sought mediation or conciliation with the Centre for an amicable settlement.
The court was hearing appeals filed by Reliance Industries Ltd, BP Exploration (Alpha) Ltd and Niko (NECO) Ltd against a Delhi High Court verdict that had set aside an arbitration award in their favour in the gas migration dispute with the Centre.
The dispute will now proceed to mediation under Justice Desai, assisted by two experts suggested by the parties, after their earlier efforts to reach a solution failed.