The Supreme Court is likely to hear a plea by SpiceJet on Tuesday, challenging the Delhi High Court’s directive that ordered the financially troubled airline to ground three of its engines over unpaid dues to lessors.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is likely to take up the case on 17 September, according to the Supreme Court’s official listing.
SpiceJet had approached the apex court after the Delhi High Court refused to interfere with an earlier order that demanded the airline ground the engines.
The Delhi High Court had upheld a single-judge ruling that required the engines to be grounded by 16 February, alongside a directive to return them to the lessors within 15 days.
In the single-judge bench’s decision, Justice Manmeet Singh Arora stated that SpiceJet, having failed to pay its dues, had no right to continue using the engines.
He noted, “The defendant (SpiceJet) is a defaulter and has no legal and contractual right to continue the use of the engines. The inability of the defendant to pay the admitted outstanding dues is writ large on the face of the record and in fact permitting the defendant to continue the use of the engines without payment would only cause financial distress to the plaintiff (lessors).”
Although SpiceJet had earlier committed to paying the outstanding lease amounts and making weekly payments, the court’s stance remained firm.
The Delhi High Court had emphasized that even after returning the engines, SpiceJet would still be liable for the dues that had accumulated.
This hearing in the Supreme Court will determine the airline’s next steps as it faces mounting financial challenges.
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