Centre Seeks 60 Days Extension In Dabhol Conciliation Period

The Centre has asked Dabhol Power Company (DPC) to extend the conciliation period for settling the issue of payment of the December 2000 bill by Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB).

Top government sources told Business Standard that the request seeks to extend the date by two months beyond the present deadline of June 7 as the conciliators have decided to conduct proceedings on three consecutive days beginning July 23.

They added that in the absence of an extension of the conciliation period, the whole process would come to a cropper even before starting.

The delay in proceeding was mainly on account of the differences in the appointment of a third conciliator, officials said.

After a delay of more than a month, the two parties have now agreed to appoint David AR Williams QC, a former judge of the New Zealand High Court as the third conciliator.

The conciliation between DPC and the central government started on April 9, after DPC agreed to accept the Centre