Motorists queued up outside Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) petrol sheds yesterday to top up at Rs.100 per litre with the company complying with the Supreme Court (SC) order to sell at that price saying they hoped the government will play fair by them.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) was continuing to sell at the previous price pending a government decision on whether it is willing to bring down prices in line with the SC order.

"We have not yet calculated how much we stand to lose by complying with the Supreme Court order," LIOC Managing Director Suresh Kumar said yesterday.

"But when our next parcel of refined oil comes next week, we expect to lose between Rs.10 to Rs.15 on each litre sold."

Suresh Kumar said that they have not been named as respondents in the fundamental rights action before the SC on which the price determination was made. They were not represented in this case but have received a copy of the court order.

He said that they retailed about 500,000 litres of petrol per day through their various outlets.

"We have complied with the court order," Kumar said, saying they were not complaining. But they were a private company quoted on the Stock Exchange answerable to investors who look forward to dividends on their investments.