Govt will play by rule book: Jaitley on Lalit Modi controversy

June 24, 2015

San Francisco, Jun 24: Government will "play by the rule book" and make sure that absolute standards of probity are maintained, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said as the Opposition continued its attack over the Lalit Modi controversy.

Jaitley
Jaitley also said there is "no question at all" about the government going on the back foot on this issue, as it has done "nothing wrong".

"The government will play by the rule book and we will make sure that the absolute standards of probity are maintained," Jaitley said in an interview here.

Asked whether the controversy was creating an impression that some leaders of the ruling party and the government were siding with corrupt people, Jaitley said, "There is no question at all."

To a question on the Opposition planning to disrupt the Monsoon Session of Parliament on the Lalit Modi issue, Jaitley said Parliament is meant to discuss and not to disrupt business.

"We are willing to have a discussion on any subject that the Opposition wants," he said.

The Finance Minister also said that the reforms can even take place outside Parliament, but its smooth functioning was important for many other reasons.

"There are also some legislative reforms for which Parliament must function," he said.

Under attack from the opposition, Jaitley had yesterday said the authorities would continue to do their job in probing the matter.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj have been facing flak for allegedly helping former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi in procuring travel documents in the UK, a country which he has made his home to avoid legal processes in India.

Modi, 49, travelled to London in 2010 after the Indian Premier League (IPL) got embroiled in allegations of match-fixing and illegal betting.

Dushyant Singh, Raje's son, has also been under attack over reports that his company received Rs 11.63 crore in investments from Modi in 2008.

Congress has accused Jaitley of doing a "clear-cut cover-up" on the entire issue and of influencing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe in Dushyant Singh and Modi's case.

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News Network
December 6,2025

pilot.jpg

New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faced major operational turbulence this week after failing to prepare for new pilot-fatigue regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The stricter rules—designed to improve flight safety—took effect in phases through 2024, with the latest implementation on November 1. IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate roster planning led to widespread cancellations and delays.

Below are the key DGCA rules that affected IndiGo’s operations:

1. Longer Mandatory Weekly Rest

Weekly rest for pilots has been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours.

The government says the extended break is essential to curb cumulative fatigue. This rule remains in force despite the current crisis.

2. Cap on Night Landings

Pilots can now perform only two night landings per week—a steep reduction from the earlier limit of six.

Night hours, defined as midnight to early morning, are considered the least alert period for pilots.

Given the disruptions, this rule has been temporarily relaxed for IndiGo until February 10.

3. Reduced Maximum Night Flight Duty

Flight duty that stretches into the night is now capped at 10 hours.

This measure has also been kept on hold for IndiGo until February 10 to stabilize operations.

4. Weekly Rest Cannot Be Replaced With Personal Leave

Airlines can no longer count a pilot’s personal leave as part of the mandatory 48-hour rest.

Pilots say this closes a loophole that previously reduced actual rest time.

Currently, all airlines are exempt from this rule to normalise travel.

5. Mandatory Fatigue Monitoring

Airlines must submit quarterly fatigue reports along with corrective actions to DGCA.

This system aims to create a transparent fatigue-tracking framework across the industry.

The DGCA has stressed that these rules were crafted to strengthen flight safety and align India with global fatigue-management standards. The temporary relaxations are expected to remain until February 2025, giving IndiGo time to stabilise its schedules and restore normal air travel.

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