The Supreme Court will hear a batch of pleas of the Kerala Government against the Airport Authority of India’s decision to grant rights to Adani Enterprises for operation, management and development of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on March 8.
The bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde, Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubarmanian heard the matter and said that all connected matters will be heard after two weeks.
Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for the petitioner, sought a specific date and said that registry takes the word ‘after’ very seriously and lists that matter after 2 weeks which may be anytime.
Chief Justice Bobde said that every time when inquired why there is a delay in listing a matter the needle points at you.
The Kerala High Court on October 19, 2020, dismissed the state government’s plea on the pretext that it was directed against the privatization policy of the Centre and hence devoid of merits.
Last year, the state government had filed a petition in the high court challenging the decision, but the High Court dismissed it, terming it as not maintainable under Article 226 of the Constitution. The state government then filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the High Court order. The Supreme Court thereafter set aside the judgement of the high court and the matter was sent back to it for a decision on merit.
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Despite continuing protest by the State government, the Airports Authority of India on January 19, formally signed a concession agreement allowing the Adani Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited, to ‘operate, manage and develop’ the airport for the next 50 years.