"This strike will not see another day," the bench observed, while asking the pilots to resume work this afternoon.
The court asked senior counsel N K Kaul and K T S Tulsi appearing for Indian Commercial Pilots Association and their three office bearers to seek instructions from their clients and inform it about their decision about calling off strike by 2.15pm when the courts resumes hearing on the contempt plea.
During their argument's, the counsel said the striking pilots "as of now" want the Air India management to revoke the derecognition of the ICPA and reinstate three of its office bearers, whose services were terminated last week in the wake of the strike.
"Whatever be the argument, it is clear contempt. You first withdraw the strike," the bench said.
The three ICPA office bearers, President A S Bhinder, General Secretary Rishabh Kapoor and Regional Secretary Amitesh Ahuja, had been issued notices last Thursday by Justice Geeta Mittal seeking their explanation as to why the contempt proceeding should not be launched against them for defying court orders to resume work. The judge had also warned that ICPA property would be attached if the stir was not called off.
