New Delhi/Ahmedabad, July 31: The Gujarat High Court today stayed a Central government directive raising price of LNG for customers like Essar Steel and GSPC so as to keep the fuel price for the Dabhol power project low.

Separately, the Supreme Court issued notices to Centre and state-run firms IOC, BPCL and GAIL on a request for clubbing of a bunch of petitions challenging the government order of raising liquefied natural gas (LNG) price.

While Essar Steel had challenged the directive of averaging the long-term LNG price of Petronet LNG Ltd with the high cost short-term fuel purchase for Dabhol power plant in Delhi High Court, Gujarat State Petroleum Corp had challenged the order that raised prices of LNG for existing Petronet customers in Gujarat High Court. Three other consumers had filed similar appeals against the order in Gujarat courts.

Petronet LNG, Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and the Centre had yesterday moved a special leave petition in the Supreme Court for clubbing all these cases.

In Ahmedabad, the Gujarat High Court today stayed the Central government’s notification directing IOC, GAIL and BPCL to charge uniform prices from existing and new consumers, counsel Mahesh Agarwal and Sameer Parekh, appearing for Essar and GSPC respectively, said.

Separately, in New Delhi, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhan after preliminary hearing issued notice to the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, IOC, GAIL, BPCL, Essar and GSPC.

While refusing to stop the hearing of these cases, the bench said: “we are given to understand that the matter is being taken today in Gujarat High Court. If it entertains the petition and passes any interim order, the same shall be subject to the final outcome of the transfer petition before us. The petitioner are at liberty to move an application for vacation of stay.”