AI Express flight cancellations: Cong, CPI seek Aviation Ministry intervention
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): In the wake of scores of Air India Express international flights being cancelled at the last minute and irate passengers protesting at airports across Kerala, both the Congress and the CPI on Wednesday demanded urgent intervention by the Centre to solve the problem.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan wrote to Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia highlighting the plight of the passengers and seeking his urgent intervention to ensure alternative travel arrangements for those affected.
Satheesan, in his letter, said that the majority of the travellers learned about the cancellations only after they arrived at the airports.
ALSO READ :Kerala airports see passengers protest against AI Express' last minute cancellations
"Many people heading to the Middle East face the risk of losing their employment since they will be unable to return on time," he said.
Citing reports, he said the airline did not even extend the basic courtesy of providing the stranded passengers with food or accommodation.
"In these urgent circumstances, I request your good self to provide alternative arrangements to resolve the bottleneck due to the unreasonable cancellation of multiple international and domestic services of Air India Express from Kerala," Satheesan said.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam too sought urgent intervention of the ministry to solve the travel problems of passengers.
In a statement, he said thousands of passengers were stranded at various airports across the country after more than 70 services of the Air India Express were cancelled.
"It has also affected the employment prospects of those seeking a job abroad and those who have to rejoin work after holidays," Viswam said.
He said that according to the airline, the present predicament was due to the mass leave taken by the cabin crew of Air India Express.
Viswam said the airline's employees were forced to take such a step as the management did not try to address their concerns and problems.
"This shows that the privatisation of Air India, which was a public sector entity, has not only affected the employees but also the passengers," he added.
Passengers, mostly travelling to the Gulf nations, claimed that they were informed about the flight cancellations after they completed their security check and were waiting to board the flight.
Many of them, who protested at the airports, claimed that they could lose their jobs if they did not reach their place of work today, while some others' work visas are about to expire.
Air India Express has offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date, but affected travellers are not happy with it.
Air India Express has cancelled "scores of flights" due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them are reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline, according to sources.
Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself.
The sources today said several cabin crew members started reporting sick since Monday evening and as there are not enough cabin crew members, "scores of flights" have been cancelled at various airports, including Kochi, Calicut and Kannur.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
