Kerala HC declines stay on decision to lease out Trivandrum Airport

Kochi (Kerala) [India], Aug 25 : Kerala High Court division bench has declined to issue an interim order staying further proceedings on Central Government's order approving the grant of the lease on the right of operation, management and development of Trivandrum International Airport to Adani Enterprises Limited for 50 years.
When the petition filed by the state government came up for hearing, the Bench decided to adjourn the case for final hearing on September 15. The court also directed the parties in the case to wrap up their arguments before September 9.
The state argued that the leasing out of buildings and structures as well as other premises of the Airport was not in the public interest.
The High Court while dismissing the government's plea had observed that, ''the dispute was between the State of Kerala and the Union government. Only the Supreme Court, and not high courts, had jurisdiction in such Centre-State disputes. Kerala should have directly filed a suit under Article 131 in the Supreme Court.''
In its writ petition, the government had contended that the attempt of the AAI to grant the right of operation, management, and development of the airport to Adani Enterprises Limited which has no previous experience in managing airports, was not in the public interest and violated the provisions of the Airports Authority of India Act as well as the proprietary right of the State Government over the land where the airport was situated.