The Centre was today directed by the Delhi High Court to respond to a plea filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking to restrain the Government from granting any approval for investment by a foreign airline in a greenfield airline project like AirAsia.

A bench of Chief Justice N. V. Ramana and Justice Manmohan issued a notice to the Civil Aviation Ministry, DGCA and others and sought their response by October 30.

Swamy, who filed the application in his pending PIL against AirAsia, sought stay of the deal and claimed that the Government is scheduled to consider another similar deal between Singapore Airlines and Tatas this month.

The BJP leader has sought a direction for restraining the Centre from taking any action or decision or granting any further or other approvals/permission/NOC/permits contrary to the applicable FDI policy and DGCA guidelines or granting any approval for foreign investment by foreign airlines in a greenfield airline project.

He has filed the plea as part of his pending PIL which seeks quashing of permission given to AirAsia for its operations on which notices have been issued to the Centre, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and the Commerce and Civil Aviation Ministries for October 30.

It had asked the Government to “file an affidavit explaining the Government’s policy on the issue”.

Swamy had first moved the apex court, which had asked him to withdraw the petition and approach the High Court for agitating his case.

In April, the FIPB gave clearance to the $30-million deal between the Malaysia-based AirAsia and Tata Sons.

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