Air India pilots' strike will not see another day: HC

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked striking Air India pilots to take a decision on resume work, saying "this strike will not see another day."

"You call off the strike, we will press the management to consider your demand," said a division bench of justices B D Ahmed and Beena Birbal, while hearing a plea for initiation of contempt proceedings against the pilots who have struck work since Tuesday last.

"This strike will not see another day," the bench observed, while asking the pilots to resume work this afternoon.

The court asked senior counsel N K Kaul and K T S Tulsi appearing for Indian Commercial Pilots Association and their three office bearers to seek instructions from their clients and inform it about their decision about calling off strike by 2.15 p.m, when the courts resumes hearing on the contempt plea.

During their argument's, the counsel said the striking pilots "as of now" want the Air India management to revoke the derecognition of the ICPA and reinstate three of its office bearers, whose services were terminated last week in the wake of the strike.

"Whatever be the argument, it is clear contempt. You first withdraw the strike," the bench said.

The three ICPA office bearers, President A S Bhinder, General Secretary Rishabh Kapoor and Regional Secretary Amitesh Ahuja, had been issued notices last Thursday by Justice Geeta Mittal seeking their explanation as to why the contempt proceeding should not be launched against them for defying court orders to resume work. The judge had also warned that ICPA property would be attached if the stir was not called off.

They were asked to be present before the court today to answer the contempt charges.

After initiating the contempt proceedings, Justice Mittal had referred the matter to the high court's chief justice for its transfer to a larger bench.

Acting on a plea by Air India management, Justice Mittal had earlier on Wednesday asked the striking pilots to resume work in public interest, but after they refused to heed to the court's directions, she had termed their act as "brazen" and in "utter defiance" of her order.

"It is evident that the conduct of pilots is brazen, wilful and smacks of sheer arrogance," Justice Mittal had said.

"There is complete lack of respect for the court orders," she had said, adding "this conduct of pilots is covered by the definition of the criminal contempt of court" and "such persons are liable to face appropriate proceedings under the law."