KOCHI: The Kerala High Court dismissed government’s plea challenging giving the right of operation, management and development of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to Adani Enterprises Limited for 50 years. The government made it clear that leasing out buildings and structures as well as other premises of the airport was not in the public interest. The state also argued that there were irregularities in awarding the contract to the Adani Group bypassing the state. The government also alleged that the auction proceedings were not transparent. A bench led by Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice C S Dias dismissed the plea.

The court observed that the argument that Kerala needs consideration could not be accepted. The court clarified that it could not be justified later saying that it was wrong after cooperating in the tender process. However, the centre’s stand in the court was that Kerala's allegations were baseless.

Permission was given to Kerala to partake in the auction with special concessions. The centre informed the court that Kerala was not entitled to approach the court with such a plea after failing in the auctions and that the airports are being leased out in the public interest.

The decision to hand over the management of the Thiruvananthapuram airport to the Adani Group was taken despite the objections raised by the government. Adani won the tender in February 2019. KSIDC who participated for the government came second.

The chief minister who opposed handing over the airport to Adani met the Prime Minister directly and requested to withdraw from the decision. Shashi Tharoor MP and other prominent leaders of the state are in two tiers in the Congress over the privatisation of the airport.