Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Sep 24: In an affidavit filed in the state High Court on Thursday September 23, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has held the management of Mangalore airport squarely responsible for the delay caused in renewing its licence.

“The term of the licence of the airport at Bajpe had expired on June 15 this year. The airport management had applied for the renewal of its licence through Airports Authority of India. During the scrutiny of the application, some doubts had arisen, and clarifications had been sought from the airport management. So far, no response has been received from the airport. As such, the renewal of the licence has been delayed,” DGCA said in the affidavit.

The division bench of the state High Court, comprising Justice D V Shylendra Kumar and Justice Kempanna, had asked DGCA to give reasons for not renewing the expired licences, in connection with a writ petition filed by a lawyer, who has argued that non-renewal of licences takes away the facility of claiming compensation on behalf of victims, of any tragedy takes places before the renewal of the airport licences, and therefore, demanding for the closure of such airports till their licences are renewed.

The Chief Justice has all of a sudden, shifted Justice Kempanna from the above division bench. As such, Justice Shylendra Kumar transferred the case to the division bench presided by Justice Manjuna Chellur, holding that a single-judge bench cannot hear this case. This division bench did not take up hearing on Thursday.

It is not yet known as to when and in which bench this case will come up for hearing next.