A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Central government to produce the files relating to the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for operating chartered flights to bring back expatriates.

The Bench passed the directive on a public interest litigation challenging a government order requiring those travelling back on chartered flights to have COVID-19 negative certificate.

When the petition came up for hearing, counsel for the Central government submitted that the chartered flights had to be operated in accordance with the SOP issued by the Centre as well as the State government.

The State government had submitted it was insisting on COVID-19 test for those returning by chartered flights from Gulf counties on the basis of the SOP issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

The government argued that it issued the directive as there was every possibility of transmission of the disease during flight. There would be heightened chances for transmission of COVID-19 during the four to six-hour-long flights when COVID-free and COVID-afflicted persons travel together.

The court posted the petition for further hearing on June 29.