JUDGMENT :

Yashwant Varma, J.

CM Appl. 9995/2022(Modification of O. D. 15-07-2021) in W.P.(C) 6432/2021;

CM Appl. 9625/2022(Modification of O. D. 16-09-2021) in W.P.(C) 10120/2021;

1. These petitions had been preferred assailing the action of the respondents in disengaging the petitioners as agents which were providing Ground Handling Services [GHS] at Civil Airports regulated by the respondent. Insofar as the application in W.P.(C) 6432/2021 is concerned, modification is sought in respect of the petitioners who are providing GHS at Srinagar and Jammu airports. In W.P.(C) 10120/2021, the prayer for modification is addressed with respect to the airports at Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. For the purposes of considering the prayer for modification, it would be pertinent to notice the following facts.

2. The petitioners were Ground Handling Agents which had been duly engaged by scheduled operators. The respondents in 2018 had framed appropriate regulations for enlistment and selection of Ground Handling Agents. The case of the petitioners here rests on the provisions made in Regulation 7(4) of the Airports Authority of India (Ground Handling Services) Regulations, 2018 [2018 Regulations] whi