Expressing concern over unusual rise in airfares during festivals, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would interfere with the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfares.”We will definitely interfere. Just see the exploitation of passengers done during the Kumbh and other festivals. Just look at the fares to Prayagraj and Jodhpur from Delhi,” a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta told Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik, who represented the Centre.The Bench asked the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to file their replies to a PIL seeking binding regulatory guidelines to control the unpredictable fluctuations in the airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 23 after the ASG sought time to file a reply.The top court had on November 17 issued notices to the Centre, the DGCA and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India on a petition filed by activist S Laxminarayanan seeking binding regulatory guidelines to control the “unpredictable fluctuations” in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India. The petitioner has also sought directions to the authorities to establish a robust, independent regulator that ensures transparency and passenger protection across the civil aviation sector.SC stays Raj HC orderThe apex court on Monday stayed the Rajasthan High Court’s order directing the state to remove or relocate all liquor shops within a 500-metre limit from national/state highways due to a surge in fatal road accidents.Issuing notices on petitions by liquor vendors and Rajasthan Government, a Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, which however, said the high court’s “concern was genuine” and the government might consider it while formulating its liquor policy in future.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, said the top court had earlier directed that there should not be any liquor vends within 500 metres of national and state highways, but a problem arose where these roads passed through the city.Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing liquor vends owners, said the high court erred in passing the order without hearing the parties, and sought a stay on the directions.Centre told to trace Russian woman, her child in 4 weeksThe Supreme Court on Monday granted four weeks to the Centre to trace a Russian woman, who fled to Moscow with her child amid a custody battle with her estranged Indian husband.A Bench led by CJI Surya Kant took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that sincere efforts were on to trace the woman and the child and that Interpol notices had also been issued to trace and bring them back to India.