JUDGMENT

1. Heard Mr. Ashish Giri, learned counsel for the petitioner and Dr. K.N. Singh, Senior Advocate, learned Additional Solicitor General along with Mr. Anshay Bahadur Mathur, learned counsel for the respondents through videoconferencing.

2. The petitioner which is a Private Limited Company has filed the present writ application for following relief(s):-

"(i) To hold and declare that the notification dated 29.06.2021 issued under the signature of the Joint Director, Bureau of Civil Aviation and the letter dated 30.06.2021 issued by the Section Officer, Airport Authority of India Section, Ministry of Civil Aviation by which the services of the agencies performing ground handling services at the airports enlisted therein has been extended from 30.06.2021 upto 15.07.2021 & 31.07.2021 respectively will not be applicable to the petitioner who is performing ground handling services in Patna and Ranchi Airports as the Security clearance having been granted in terms of the airport Authority of India (Ground Handling Services) Regulations, 2018 whose security clearance is valid for a period of 5 years with effect from 11.06.2019.

(ii) To alternatively quash the said decisions/letters dated 29.06.2021 issued under the signature of the Joint Director, Bureau of Civil Aviation and the letter dated 30.06.2021 issued by the Section Officer, Airport Authority of India Section, Ministry of Civil Aviation limiting the ground handling services of the petitioner for a period of only upto 15.07.2021 contrary to the security clearance granted to it for period of 5 years w.e.f. 11.06.2019.

(iii) To issue a writ/order/direction in the nature of mandamus commanding the respondents to permit the petitioner to discharge the ground handling services in the Patna and Ranchi Airports in light of the security clearance granted to it for 5 years w.e.f. 11.06.2019 pursuant to which agreement has been entered with the airlines namely Air Asia (India) Ltd, Vistara and Go Air for ground handling work.

(iv) To pass interim lex parte interim order permitting the petitioner to continue operation of its ground handling services in the Patna and Ranchi Airports in light of the existing agreement entered with the different Airlines pursuant to the security clearance granted vide letter dated 11.06.2019 which is valid for 5 years and/or stay the operation of impugned letters dated 29.06.2021 & 30.06.2021.

(v) To any other relief or reliefs for which the petitioner is found to be entitled in the facts and circumstances of the case."

3. The brief facts giving rise to the present writ application is that the petitioner-company was granted security clearance by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Ministry of Civil Aviation in the year 2013 vide its letter dated 20.12.2013 for providing ground handling services at various airports in India including Ranchi Airport. The validity of the security clearance was for a period of five years from the date of issuance of the letter. In pursuance of said clearance, the petitioner-company entered into an agreement with different airlines for providing ground handling services to them and according to the petitioner, it performed the ground handling services with due care and precautions and there was no complaint against it whatsoever from any quarter. It has further been stated that Central Government enacted a Rule called Aircraft Rules 1937 exercising powers under Section 5 of the Aircraft Act 1934 for securing the safety of aircraft operation as well as licensing in respect of regulation of aerodromes. Rule 92 deals with ground handling services and ensure a competitive environment by allowing the airline operators at the airport to engage, without any restriction, any of the ground handling service provider who is permitted by the Central Government to provide such service subject to the condition that such ground handling service provider shall have the security clearance of the Central Government.

4. As per Rule-15 of the Airc