COCHIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LTD. Vs. M.N.SUGUNAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These appeals are filed by one of the respondents in the writ petitions i.e., the Cochin International Airport Ltd., being aggrieved by the directions issued by the learned single Judge directing the Management of the appellant to consider the claim of the writ petitioners for the issuance of the taxi passes as and when new passes are issued at the Cochin International Air Port, Nedumbassery, by earmarking 20% out of the total number of new taxies to be introduced, and that the selection of persons for the issuance of taxi passes shall be made from among those writ petitioners who are fulfilling all the eligibility criteria fixed by the appellant, except the insistence for "A-pass". Further, it was directed that persons holding "B-pass" who fulfil their eligibility criteria also should be included and preference in the matter of selection shall be given on the basis of age of eligible candidates. Accordingly, it was directed that the Management of the appellant shall give due intimation to the writ petitioners calling for submission of required documents as and when new taxi passes are sanctioned at the Airport.

(2.) Fact remains, the challenge made by the writ petitioners against the order of the Managing Director of the appellant dated 07.07.2019 selecting 8 persons for the issuance of taxi passes were negatived by the learned single Judge and it was further observed that there is no impediment in the appellant issuing taxi passes to respondent No.11 in W.P.(C) No. 19685 of 2009, if he fulfills all the eligibility criteria.

(3.) The appellant is a company registered under the Indian Companies Act , 1956 with the object of constructing, commissioning, operating, managing and maintaining an Airport of international standards. The State Government, has a shareholding of 33%. The appellant has acquired several stretches of land for the construction of the Airport and its allied activities. The Management has decided to provide taxi permits to the owners of acquired house buildings, land and to others, while taxi permits are issued to ply from the Cochin International Airport. Three categories were formulated accordingly i.e., evictees of houses, evictees of land and others. The first preference was given to the evictees of houses, second preference to the evictees of land and third preference to 'others'. Accordingly, 284 passes were issued to ply taxies during the year 1999. Subsequently, the Board of Directors have decided on 26.12.2005 to issue 100 more passes to the taxi operators as per the criteria fixed above. Fact remains, the drivers of the old Cochin Airport have raised claims to ply taxies from the new Cochin International Airport. Apparently, on the basis of the observations made by this Court in one of the writ petitions, a claim is accrued to the taxi drivers who were operating the taxies in the old Cochin Airport.