The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to as many as 67 striking pilots belonging to the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) on a contempt of court application by Air India urging the court to initiate proceedings against the alleged contemnors.
Justice Reva Khetrapal asked the respondents, including IPG, to file replies by July 13, the next date of hearing. Air India filed the contempt application following a Division Bench's dismissal of IPG's appeal challenging Justice Khetrapal's order declaring the strike illegal and asking the pilots to resume duty. In the application, Air India submitted that the pilots were still in defiance of the order.
The Division Bench had said that the Single Bench was at liberty to initiate contempt proceedings.
Dismissing the appeal, the Division Bench had said that there was no doubt that “the members of the appellant [IPG] are and continue to be in violation of the order of the learned single Judge.”
“It would be open to the learned single Judge…to proceed under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971,” against the pilots who are in defiance of the order, the Division Bench had stated.
