The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Former judge seeks probe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Former judge seeks probe

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Former High Court Judge Michael R. Saldanha has demanded a judicial inquiry to identify the persons responsible for signing the agreement with Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL).

Claiming that the agreement signed by the Centre with BIAL does not stand legal scrutiny, Mr. Saldanha, in a release on Monday, said it is against public interest. He said it is a matter of shame that the Civil Aviation Ministry has bartered the economic future of Karnataka to BIAL by signing such an agreement.

He said the High Court had admitted petitions relating to the closure of the HAL airport.

The interim order of the High Court, he said, was endorsed by the Supreme Court. The law requires the parties in the case, including BIAL and the Civil Aviation Ministry, to report back to the court the outcome of the renegotiation. However, BIAL and the Civil Aviation Ministry is trying to shift all operations to the Devanahalli airport so that the court proceedings become infructuous. Both the parties are committing contempt of court as the issue is sub judice.

Moreover, the Civil Aviation Ministry is constitutionally bound to follow the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee which has said that HAL airport should not be closed.

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