Two days after it recommended Australia’s former Chief Justice of Wales as the third independent arbitrator on the panel hearing KG gas basin dispute between the Centre and Reliance Industries, the Supreme Court was on Wednesday forced to drop the name after it emerged that the judge in question was in the list of names RIl supplied to the court.
Justice SS Nijjar of the SC, who had passed the order on Monday, withdrew his order and decided to suggest a suitable name at the earliest. The matter was brought to the attention of the court by the Petroleum Ministry after it found Spigelman figured as one of those recommended by Mukesh Ambani-owned RIl. Already, the panel of arbitrators included two former Chief Justices of India — Justices PN Bhagwati and VN Khare. A request was made for a third arbitrator for resolution of disputes over alleged breaches in production sharing contract relating to KG Basin gas exploration after sharp difference of opinion emerged between the two arbitrators.