'Will Cause Irreparable Loss To Our Country': AP High Court Restrains Petroleum Company From Selling LPG To International Markets
Saahas Arora
18 March 2026 2:17 PM IST
In the wake of the ongoing conflict in the West Asia between US-Israel and Iran which has disrupted global oil trade, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has in an interim order restrained a private petroleum company Confidence Petroleum India from selling Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to international markets.
The petitioners—who procured LPG from Confidence Petroleum India and supplied to its customers, contended that the company was taking advantage of the present situation and selling LPG in the international market at inflated rates, in order to make personal gains, thereby violating the Government's directions. Through the petition, the petitioners prayed for restraining the company from selling LPG internationally, and to restrict its supply to the domestic market.
The senior counsel for petitioners submitted that Central Government had on 05.03.2026 directed the Oil Refining Companies operating in India to maximise and ensure that Propane and Butane streams produced, recovered, fractionated or otherwise available with them are utilized for production of LPG. It had also directed to make the same available to three public sector Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs)–IOCL, HPCL and BPCL. It had further directed to ensure that all public sectors OMC's to ensure that LPG is supplied/marketed solely to domestic consumers only.
Justice Battu Devanand in his interim order directed:
“In the meanwhile, taking into consideration of the directions issued by the Government of India, in its order, dated 05.03.2026 and the grievance put forth before this Court by the learned Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioners and also keeping in mind the news articles published in the print and electronic media that there is serious scarcity of L.P.G. in the country, we are of the prima facie view that if the oil refining companies operating in India are permitted or allowed to sell L.P.G. at international market, it would cause irreparable loss and hardships to the public at large in our country.”
The court further directed the Central Government to ensure strict compliance with its order of March 5.
Case Number: W.P.No.7249 of 2026
Case Title: MEDHA HIMAJA SHRII ENTERPRISES v. Union of India