SC rejects AAI employee plea on transfer

The Supreme Court of India on Friday rejected a plea of Airport Authority of India (AAI) employees, who had challenged their transfer from metropolis to small airports across the country arguing that the transfer is illegal.

Dismissing the petition of over 3,500 employees, a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi today (May 1) said that after hearing various parties, including the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) and Mumbai airport workers, the court found nothing illegal in transferring as it was earlier decided in the agreement in 2006 that private consortium would take over the operations and management of Mumbai and Delhi international airports.

Solicitor General G E Vahanvati assured the court to prevent the interest of the employees while transferring to other small airports. “There was a clear agreement three years ago with the private partners, which are building the new airports that they would take over operations from AAI,” he argued.

All the employees have been given the choice to retain themselves in the private partner’s employment if they accept the offered salary package that was not less than their present emoluments. In case if they refused to accept it, they can be redeployed elsewhere, added Solicitor General.

While, on the other hand, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves and Indira Jaising who appeared for the employees, argued that the terms and condition of the employment were breached and employees were forced to transfer in those airport, which have no vacancy. “This means the employees are being told to go there and get paid for sitting idle,” they added.

Earlier on Thursday, the apex court had postponed the decision to Friday refusing to pass the interim order to stay the transfer.