Delhi High Court - Orders
Executive Aircraft Maintenance ... vs Ai Engineering Services Limited & Ors on 3 July, 2025
Author: Sachin Datta
Bench: Sachin Datta
$~51
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ W.P.(C) 6956/2025
& CM APPL.33108/2025 (leave to place on record addl. documents)
EXECUTIVE AIRCRAFT
MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION .....Petitioner
Through: Dr. Purvish Malkhan, Sr. Adv., Mr.
Sameer Kumar, Mr. Ryan Singh and
Mr. Vaibhav Pachauri, Advs.
versus
AI ENGINEERING SERVICES LIMITED & ORS. .....Respondents
Through: Mr. Amit Tiwari, CGSC, Mr. Ayish
Tanwar, Ms. Ayushi Srivastava,
Advs. and Mr. Tarveen Nanda, GP for
R-3/UOI.
Mr. Darpan Wadhwa, Mr. Amit
Mishra, Ms. Mitakshara Goyal, Mr.
Azeem Samuel, Mr. Akhil
Kulshreshtha and Mr. Shivam Goel,
Advs. for R-4.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA
ORDER
% 03.07.2025 CM APPLs.31466/2025 (Exemption)
1. Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.
2. Application stands disposed of.
W.P.(C) 6956/2025 and CM APPL.31465/2025 (Stay)
3. The present petition has been filed by the petitioner association being aggrieved by the alleged alteration / discontinuation of medical and Employee Leisure Travel (ELT) (passage) benefits (hereinafter referred to as This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 08/07/2025 at 21:28:43 'the benefits') of the members of the petitioner association by the respondent no.1 (AI Engineering Services Limited).
4. The petitioner association is a registered society comprised of members who are either retired or serving executive cadre of Licensed / Approved Aircraft Maintenance Engineers employed by the respondent no.1.
5. The members of the petitioner association were previously employed with the Engineering and Overhaul Department of the respondent no.4 (Air India). It is stated that in 2013, the respondent no.4 hived off the aforesaid department to respondent no.1 whereby the employees working in respondent no.4 were transferred to respondent no.1 with continuity of service.
6. Respondent no.1 is stated to be the 100% subsidiary company of the respondent no.4. Upon the disinvestment of respondent no.4 (Air India) on 15.02.2022, the entire shareholding of respondent no.1 (AIESL) has been transferred from respondent no.4 (Air India) to respondent no.2 (AI Asset Holding Ltd).
7. It is submitted that upon the disinvestment of respondent no.4, the same has become a private entity and the "passage benefits" earlier being availed by the employees have been discontinued.
8. According to the petitioner, the same violates the service conditions guaranteed during the process of formation of AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) [respondent no.1].
9. By way of the present petition, the petitioner seeks a direction against the respondent no.1 for restoration of the medical and ELT(Passage) benefits, enjoyed by the members of the petitioner association prior to its This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 08/07/2025 at 21:28:43 hiving off, and during the period when the respondent no.1 was part of respondent no.4 (prior to disinvestment).
10. Issue notice.
11. Learned counsel, as aforesaid, accepts notice on behalf of respondent nos.3 and 4.
12. Issue notice to the respondent nos.1 and 2, on necessary steps being taken by the petitioner, through all permissible modes, including electronically.
13. Learned senior counsel, appearing on behalf of the respondent no.4 submits that the present petition to the extent that it seeks relief against the respondent no.4 would not be maintainable in view of the judgment of the Supreme Court in R.S. Madireddy and Anr. vs. Union of India and Ors. 2024 SCC OnLine SC 965. The said position is not refuted by learned counsel for the petitioner, however, he submits that the present petition essentially seeks relief against the respondent nos.1 and 3.
14. Let counter-affidavit be filed by the respondents within a period of four weeks.
15. Rejoinder thereto, if any, be filed within a period of two weeks thereafter.
16. List on 23.09.2025.
SACHIN DATTA, J JULY 3, 2025/cl This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 08/07/2025 at 21:28:43