New Delhi, March 26: Cracking the whip, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked airlines to remove within 30 days the directors on their boards who have been appointed without prior security clearance, failing which their aviation operations would be suspended.

In an order issued to all scheduled airline operators, the ministry said it has come across instances where airlines have appointed directors on their boards flouting the civil aviation requirements (CAR) despite sensitising them from time to time.

"The matter has been reviewed in this ministry and it was decided that all the airlines who have appointed directors on their boards without security clearances shall remove such directors within 30 days from the issue of this order (dated March 23)."

If the instructions are not complied within the said period, aviation operations of the "erring companies" would be "suspended" after lapse of the stipulated period till the final decision on the security clearances is conveyed by the ministry, the order said.

As per CAR, a new director or chairman should not be appointed unless security clearance is obtained from the home ministry through the civil aviation ministry. This is applicable for scheduled as well as non-scheduled airline operators.

In January 2017, the ministry had advised all airlines not to appoint directors on their board without prior security clearance from it. In May that year, in a separate order, the ministry said the airline companies should appoint directors only after receiving security clearance and they have at least 90 days time to make the appointment under the companies law.