Do you think the DGCA could have handled the situation better in the case of SpiceJet?

In a way, DGCA may have got its arguments flawed in two ways. It should have barred further flights when safety norms were being flouted. Reducing the number of flights is still reducing half the passengers to risk of life. The second issue is more relevant. The moment there are such lapses in the airline and DGCA pulls up, there is a rush away from SpiceJet and that is already visible. Flyers are unwilling to book tickets on Spice Jet. It will worsen things and hinder the breakeven efforts and their focus on passenger safety.

A better choice is to be preventive. Normally, lax flying standards arise when the airline is not able to pay its vendors on time and is running on a cash and carry basis. Spice Jet has been running that way for quite some time and that is no secret. DGCA should ideally have intervened at that point and put restrictions or a ban on Spice Jet flying. By being early on the job, it would have given Spice Jet more time to overcome its problems. The airline is already in a chaotic condition and this order will only pull them deeper into the mess.