Bombay HC Gives Jyotiraditya Scindia His 'First Task' As Union Civil Aviation Minister; Know Details

While hearing a PIL, the Bombay HC bench said that the Jyotiraditya Scindia should give this matter a top priority, and can take it up as his "first task".

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday observed that the Union government needs to come up with a uniform policy for naming airports across the country and the newly-appointed Union civil aviation minister can give top priority.

While hearing a PIL, the bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni said that the Jyotiraditya Scindia must consider formulation of such a policy as his "first task."

Citing the Navi Mumbai protest that happened last month, the bench said that it cannot allow such instances to take place.

On June 24, around 25,000 people organised a rally flouting COVID-19 norms to demand that the upcoming airport in Navi Mumbai be named after a local leader.

The protestors were mostly from local agricultural and fishing communities along with some politicians who staged a demonstration to demand that the international airport be named after late activist and parliamentarian DB Patil.

This came after the Maharashtra government and state-run town planning agency CIDCO had announced to name the greenfield airport after Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.

The HC observed that, in 2016, a draft policy had been formulated directing to name airports after cities and not individuals but the current status of the policy was not known.

"We would like to know the present position of draft policy? Over this issue of naming (of airports), we took the state government to task last month as there was a gathering violating COVID-19 protocols with nearly 25000 people. Why should we allow this?" the HC told the Union government's counsel, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh.

"If there is a new policy still in the draft stage, get it done now. You have a new set of ministers now. Let this be the work of the new aviation ministry. It should be the first task of the new aviation minister," it commented.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by lawyer Filji Frederick seeking directions for the Union government to frame a uniform policy for naming and renaming of airports.

The petitioner sought an order for the Centre to not act upon proposals sent by state governments for naming airports, including the one coming up at Navi Mumbai, until a uniform policy is framed for the same.

The Bombay HC directed the Union government's counsel to take instructions on this matter and posted it for further hearing on July 16.

(With Agency Inputs)