SpiceJet seeks early hearing against Delhi HC directive

New Delhi: Low-cost carrier SpiceJet on Thursday sought an urgent hearing on its plea filed before the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court directive requiring the debt-ridden airline to ground three engines over repetitive failures to pay its lessors.

The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud for urgent listing, who told SpiceJet’s lawyer to send an email to the apex court’s registry.

On Wednesday, a division bench of the Delhi High Court refused to interfere with a directive requiring the low-cost carrier to ground three engines. Before this, a single-judge bench of Justice Manmeet Singh Arora of the High Court asked Spicejet to ground three engines by February 16, apart from taking steps to ensure that the engines are re-delivered to lessors within 15 days.

Challenging the single-judge bench’s order, SpiceJet moved an appeal before the division bench of the Delhi High Court and prayed for an urgent hearing.