Relief for flyers? SC asks Centre to place airfare regulation rules before it within 2 weeks
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to place, within two weeks, the copy of rules framed to regulate airfares under the Bharatiya Vayuyan
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to place, within two weeks, the copy of rules framed to regulate airfares under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, according to Bar and Bench. Counsel representing the Centre informed the bench that the draft rules had already been prepared and were currently undergoing the translation process. He further submitted that the rules are required to be placed before Parliament, as per PTI. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ordered that the rules be produced before the court in a sealed cover, regardless of whether they have already been tabled in Parliament. The direction came during the hearing of a petition filed by social activist S Laxminarayanan, who has sought the establishment of a strong and independent aviation regulator to ensure greater transparency and protect passenger interests across the civil aviation sector. The plea also seeks regulatory measures to curb the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfare and ancillary charges levied by private airlines in India. Also Read | Airfare hike fears: Govt acts to ease fuel price shock for domestic airlines "We grant two weeks' time to the respondents to place before this court in a sealed cover the rules which have been framed, irrespective of the fact whether they are placed before the Houses of Parliament," the bench noted, as per a PTI report.
Senior advocate Ravindra Srivastava, representing Laxminarayanan, mentioned that the existing rules would continue to remain applicable until the new regulations are notified and come into force. Highlighting concerns over the “exorbitant airfares” being charged, Srivastava told the court, “The solution is that this court must consider having a robust and effective regulatory mechanism which is independent.” The bench scheduled the matter for further hearing on August 3. What did SC say on airfares earlier? During an earlier hearing on May 15, the Supreme Court had observed that airfares required some degree of rationalisation and asked the Centre to take steps to provide relief to passengers. At that hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the bench that the 2024 legislation had come into force in January 2025 and that the rules under it were being drafted. The apex court, on November 17 last year, sought replies from the Centre and other parties on Laxminarayanan’s petition, which called for a strong and independent regulator to ensure transparency and safeguard passenger interests in the civil aviation sector. On February 23, the Centre informed the apex court that the Ministry of Civil Aviation was actively examining the concerns highlighted in the plea.
The BriefWire