Why did your pilots go on strike, Delhi HC asks AI

The Delhi High Court today sought a response from Air India why the carrier's pilots went on strike recently.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna did not accept Air India counsel's argument that the matter did not require further hearing as the strike is over and both the sides have agreed to settle the issue before the central government.

The bench said the court sought to know the reasons which forced the pilots to take such a step and sought the reply by August 10.

On May 9, another bench of the high court had converted a petition filed by the pilots'union of the national carrier into a PIL and referred the matter to the Chief Justice.

"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 had said.

Earlier, appearing before the bench, the Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA) said the pilots have rejoined duties and sought withdrawl of its appeal against the single judge's April 27 order to call off the strike.

While allowing the pilots' plea to withdraw the petition as the pilots called off the eight-day strike early this month, the bench said the issue has been pending for the last several years and relates to public interest which needed the courts' consideration.