New Delhi, Mar 20: IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have raised strong objections to the government’s decision asking airlines not to levy any charges for the selection of at least 60 per cent seats on flights, saying the move will force them to hike airfares to recover lost revenues.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents the three airlines, has also urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to withdraw the decision.

On Wednesday, the ministry announced that directions have been issued to the DGCA to direct airlines to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight free of charge to ensure fair access for passengers.

In a letter written to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha on Thursday, FIA said the direction would have unintended and adverse consequences for the aviation sector.

“The financial impact of the directive on airlines will be significant, compelling airlines to recover the lost revenues through increases in fares. As a result, all passengers, including those who may not wish to preselect seats, will end up paying higher fares,” it said.

FIA noted that seat selection fees form a legitimate component of airline revenue, particularly in the high-cost environment where costs rise year-on-year under the regulator AERA-governed regime that accords full cost recovery plus an assured margin to airports.

“Airlines operate on thin margins and rely on ancillary revenues to offset rising operational costs, including fuel, maintenance, airport charges, etc. Imposing a uniform restriction on ancillary revenue undermines commercial flexibility and interferes with market-driven pricing mechanisms,” the grouping said.

The ministry’s announcement on Wednesday came against the backdrop of rising concerns that airlines are levying high charges for various services, including for choosing seats.

Generally, airlines charge Rs 200 to Rs 2,100 for choosing seats, depending on various factors, including front rows and extra leg room.

Meanwhile, FIA also said that while free seat selection might appear beneficial at first glance from passengers’ perspective, the overall outcome would be counter-productive and higher fares would reduce consumer choice and affordability.

According to FIA, the decision will defeat the stated objective of passenger welfare, as it shifts targeted user-based charges into a blanket fare increase borne by the entire passenger base, and disproportionately impacts price-sensitive travellers and erodes affordability.

Among other concerns, the grouping mentioned that the ministry did not carry out stakeholder consultations before announcing the decision.

“If applied, this measure will set a precedent for excessive intervention in ancillary pricing with heavy loss of revenues for the airlines, apart from creating uncertainty for airlines regarding future regulatory constraints,” FIA said and urged that the mandate to the DGCA be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, sources said the airlines have also told the ministry about various operational challenges, including rising jet fuel prices, in the wake of the West Asia conflict.

The conflict has significantly impacted flight operations to and from the region.

New Delhi, Mar 20: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted six more accused, including three absconders, in connection with an attack at a CRPF camp in Chhattisgarh by cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) terror organisation in 2024.

A dozen Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in the attack on the Dharmavaram camp by Maoists armed with automatic weapons and indigenously manufactured Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs), a statement issued by the NIA said.

Besides the then newly built Dharmavaram camp, the Maoist cadres had also attacked simultaneously two more adjacent CRPF camps at Chintawagu and Pamed in Bijapur district on January 16, 2024.

The three arrested accused chargesheeted are Awalam Bhima, Madkam Nanda and Madkam Deva alias Ratan, while the chargesheeted absconders include one Special Zonal Committee (SZC) member of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) organisation, the probe agency said, without sharing any details of the other chargesheeted accused.

With this supplementary chargesheet against these six accused, the total number of accused charged by the NIA in the case has gone up to 23, it said. The agency had earlier chargesheeted 17 Maoists in June last year.

The attacks on the three camps were aimed at killing security force personnel, and looting weapons and other belongings of security forces from the camps as part of a Maoist conspiracy to wage war against the democratically elected Government of India, the NIA said.

The Maoist cadres were in possession of prohibited arms, ammunition and indigenously manufactured BGL shells with explosive materials, NIA had found during its probe.

NIA investigations had further revealed that the CPI (Maoist) terror outfit had set up a dummy replica of the target camps for training and motivation of its armed cadres.

The men were also directed to recce the target camps before carrying out the attacks, it said. NIA, which took over the case on February 9, 2024, had re-registered it against 21 accused persons and 250-300 unknown armed cadres of CPI (Maoist).

New Delhi, Mar 20: The Delhi High Court on Friday quashed the Look Out Circulars (LOCs) issued against former NDTV promoters Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy in connection with two cases registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reports Bar & Bench..

Justice Sachin Datta said, “The impugned LOC is quashed subject to the petitioners cooperating with the investigation,” reports Bar & Bench. The High Court was informed that the LOCs were issued at the instance of the CBI in relation to two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered in June 2017 and August 2019. While the 2017 case has since been closed by the agency, the 2019 case remains under investigation, with no chargesheet filed so far.

According to the report, the 2017 FIR was based on a complaint by Sanjay Dutt, a director of Quantum Security Private Limited. The complaint alleged that the Roys and their firm RRPR Holdings had secured a loan to acquire a 20% stake in NDTV and entered into a criminal conspiracy with officials of ICICI Bank in the process.

New Delhi, Mar 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and while discussing with him the current situation in West Asia, condemned attacks on the energy and civilian infrastructure in the region.

During his telephonic conversation with the King of Bahrain, the prime minister reiterated the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open and secure.

“Had a fruitful discussion with the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. Conveyed warm greetings on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr to him and the people of Bahrain.

“We discussed the current situation in the West Asian region. Condemned attacks on the energy and civilian infrastructure in the region, underscoring their adverse impact on global food, fuel and fertiliser security,” Modi said in a post on X.

The prime minister also thanked the king for his continued support for the well-being of the Indian community in Bahrain.

This was the second time Modi spoke to the king of Bahrain since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. The Islamic Republic also retaliated by attacking several of its Gulf neighbours.

The prime minister has also spoken to several other world leaders, including those from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, France, Malaysia, Israel and Iran since the conflict began.