SC pulls up ONGC for not paying fees to arbitrators
The Supreme Court on Wednesday stopped short of issuing a contempt notice to state-run hydrocarbon producer ONGC for ‘insulting’ the arbitrators appointed by it to resolve a dispute with Hong Kong-based Schlumberger Asia Services, by refusing to make fee payments and over the meeting schedule for the arbitral tribunal.
Terming it as “very unfortunate,” a Bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana asked Attorney General KK Venugopal to take up the ‘payment issue’ with the PSU and sort it out. Three former high court judges had recused from the arbitral tribunal proceedings due to payment issues with the oil PSU.
