But Reliance Industries challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, which heard the case July 20 and fixed Sep 1 as the next date of hearing. It also asked all parties to file their replies on the government position on the matter by then.

Wednesday had seen the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, adjourn more than once when some members, led by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, asked for Petroleum Minister Murli Deora's resignation over the matter.

Their main contention was that the petroleum ministry was unable to ensure gas supplies from the Reliance gas fields to the crucial Dadri power project in Uttar Pradesh on the outskirts of the national capital.