Delhi High Court Orders Ministry to Fix AirSewa Portal Issues
The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of Civil Aviation to address inefficiencies in the AirSewa portal within four weeks. The portal, designed to serve as a grievance redressal mechanism for air travelers, has reportedly become largely unresponsive, leaving numerous complaints unresolved.
High Court’s Directive
The Delhi High Court bench, led by acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, issued a directive to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to address concerns regarding the non-functioning of the AirSewa portal. This directive came while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO Pravasi Legal Cell.
Issues Highlighted
The PIL, filed through advocate Manas P Hameed, highlighted the portal’s failure to adequately address grievances, particularly affecting Indian citizens abroad. The petition noted that the AirSewa portal, which initially functioned well, has significantly deteriorated over the past year, leading to a growing backlog of unresolved complaints.
Impact on Citizens
The inefficiencies of the portal have compelled many individuals to turn to consumer courts in India for redressal, a solution that is especially impractical for Indian citizens living abroad. The plea stressed the urgent need for the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take corrective measures, as the current state of the portal is leaving numerous grievances unaddressed.
Judicial Intervention
The plea asserted that despite multiple representations to the concerned authorities, no substantial improvements have been made to the AirSewa portal’s functionality. As a result, the petitioner sought immediate judicial intervention to address these pressing issues in the public interest.
The current inefficiency of the AirSewa portal forces affected individuals to seek redressal through consumer courts in India. However, for those residing abroad, this process is neither feasible nor practical due to logistical challenges. The petitioner stated that this situation places an undue burden on Indian citizens living abroad, who should be able to rely on the AirSewa portal for swift resolution of their grievances.
Doubts Revealed
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a big building where judges work to make sure everyone follows the law in Delhi, the capital city of India.
Ministry of Civil Aviation -: This is a part of the Indian government that takes care of everything related to airplanes and airports in India.
AirSewa portal -: This is a website where people can complain if they have problems with their air travel, like lost luggage or delayed flights.
Public Interest Litigation -: This is when someone goes to court not for themselves, but to help the public or a group of people.
NGO Pravasi Legal Cell -: This is a group that helps people with legal problems, especially Indians who live in other countries.
grievance redressal -: This means solving people’s complaints or problems, especially those related to air travel in this case.