Delhi HC to examine Air India's problems

The Delhi Court today decided to look into the problems faced by Air India which led to a strike by its pilots recently saying it is a matter of public interest which the nation wants to know.

A division bench of Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Siddharth Mridul converted a petition filed by the pilots' union of the national carrier into a PIL.

"The nation wants to know what factors are afflicting the national carrier Air India. In order to set those controversies at rest, we are prime facie of the opinion that all the circumstances leading up to the strike should be considered and decided by treating the case as a PIL," the bench said.

The court referred the matter to the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra which hears all PIL matters.

Appearing before the bench, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) sought withdrawl of its appeal against the single judge's April 27 order to call off the strike saying the general public is the worst sufferer, citing that the pilots have joined back their duties.

While allowing the pilots' plea to withdraw as the pilots called off the strike on last Friday, the bench said the issue has been pending for last several years and relates to public interest which needed the courts' consideration.