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Mangalore crash payout: HC reserves order on Air India's plea

[email protected] (CD Network)
August 17, 2011

aircrash_copy

Kochi, August 17: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on an appeal filed by Air India Ltd against an order of a single judge bolding that the company was bound to pay a minimum compensation of Rs. 75 lakh to the legal heirs of every person killed in the Mangalore air crash.

The Bench, comprising Justice C.N. Ramachandran Nair and Justice P.S. Gopinathan, reserved its judgment after the conclusion of arguments on the appeal.

The single judge had directed the company to pay the family members of B. Mohammed Rafi, who was killed in the crash, the balance sum within a month to make the compensation Rs. 75. Lakh.

In its appeal, the company said the single judge's order was wrong and unsustainable. The company further argued that the conclusion reached by the court, which cited the provisions of the Montreal Convention, was not fair. The single judge had observed that the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 did not draw any distinction among passengers over payment of a compensation of one lakh SDRs (Special Drawing Rights, equal to Rs. 75 lakh, of the International Monetary Fund).

The same should be paid by the carrier for the death of, or bodily injury sustained by a passenger in an accident on board, subject to the satisfaction of the extent of damage. The air carrier could pay compensation higher than the liability, but could not avoid or limit the liability provided under the Montreal Convention.

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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