'The changes sought by RIL on the accepted draft GSPA would have altered the basic complexion of the contract and were not acceptable to NTPC,' Solanki noted.

Despite efforts to persuade RIL, there was no progress made to sign the agreement, he added.

'However, in spite of all the efforts, RIL did not sign the GSPA agreed during the bidding process, instead RIL unilaterally signed a contract which was not in line with the agreed GSPA and that left NTPC with no alternative other than taking legal recourse,' the minister said.

Meanwhile, NTPC has asked the power ministry to look into easing its gas shortage at power stations through additional allocation from the gas allotted to the power sector from the KG basin by the empower group of ministers, 'without prejudice to NTPC's suit in Bombay High Court'.