Supreme Court Declines Plea for Independent Audit of Air India Safety Practices

The Supreme Court has declined a petition requesting the formation of a committee led by a retired Supreme Court justice to independently audit Air India's safety measures and maintenance protocols. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, questioned the singular focus on Air India, asking why the critique was not extended to other airlines as well.

This plea emerged in the aftermath of a tragic incident where an Air India Boeing aircraft, on the Ahmedabad to London route, crashed, resulting in 270 fatalities. Narendra Kumar Goswami and Laxman Prasad Goswami, who filed the PIL, urged for an independent investigation into Air India's operational safety and maintenance standards, including a full safety audit of the airline's fleet by an international agency recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Additionally, the petitioners sought a prompt report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) regarding the circumstances of the Ahmedabad crash, aiming to address the lapses noted in the ICAO's 2024 audit report. However, the plea was dismissed, with the court not finding merit in focusing solely on Air India.

(With inputs from agencies.)