The Centre has decided to defer the gas price hike effective April 1 following the Election Commission’s directive to postpone the decision in view of the matter being sub-judice before the Supreme Court.
The apex court, hearing two PIls seeking probe into the alleged arbitrary and illegal hike, asked the Centre on Tuesday on what action was proposed following the EC decision. Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran informed the court that the Centre would abide by the EC directive and defer the same till the lok Sabha polls got over.
The Centre had earlier announced hike in gas prices from US$4.2 per million British Thermal Unit to US$8.3 per mBTU. The hike was opposed by MP Gurudas Dasgupta and NGO Common Cause in Supreme Court on the ground that the decision was tailor-made by the Centre to cause windfall profits to Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries, which is the major supplier of gas in the country.
The court heard the argument of Dasgupta’s counsel on Tuesday and is expected to continue hearing the matter on Wednesday.