Go First Insolvency: Delhi High Court Bench Recuses From Hearing Lessors' Plea

The Delhi High Court bench, comprising Justice Prathiba Singh, recused itself from hearing the Go First lessors’ plea against the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to deregister the airline's planes. The matter will now be heard on Thursday by a new bench, subject to the decision of the Chief Justice of the High Court.

Justice Singh’s spouse, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, represented the suspended management of Go First Ltd. before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. Therefore, Justice Singh expressed that the court has an objection to hearing the plea.

The lessors, including Accipiter Holdings and Pembroke Aircraft Leasing, among others, submitted that they have no issue with Justice Singh hearing the matter, as Go First is not a party to these proceedings. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared on behalf of the lessors and submitted that the relief sought by the lessors is against the DGCA and not against the order of the NCLAT.

Previously, the NCLAT had upheld the decision of the National Company Law Tribunal that admitted Go First into insolvency.

On May 24, Prembroke approached the Delhi High Court, praying for directions to the DGCA to deregister its planes, which were leased to Go First. The DGCA had submitted that since the NCLT had declared a moratorium, as prayed by the airline, the lessor’s application to deregister the planes had been kept in abeyance by it.