The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the Centre’s decision to discontinue scheduled commercial operations at the existing Visakhapatnam airport and transfer its airport code, VTZ, to Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.
“Where is the impact? Where is it impacting? People in Delhi or Andhra Pradesh? Where part of cause of action arises in two places, the place where the dominant cause of action is the forum. Dominant cause of action has occurred in Andhra Pradesh. The notification clarified that the closure of the civil enclave for scheduled commercial operations would not apply during national emergencies or to aircraft owned or operated by the Indian Air Force, other armed forces, police or any other authorised agency. It also exempts flights carrying dignitaries in specially government-owned, leased or hired aircraft.
The petition is dismissed on the ground of forum non conveniens,” the court told advocate Pranav Sachdeva, who appeared for the petitioner, Gopala Krishna Kosaraju.
A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia dismissed the petition for forum non conveniens (inconvenient forum) after it was informed that a petition challenging the same decision was already pending before the Andhra Pradesh high court.
