HC directs Govt to fill vacant medical posts by Oct 31

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh directed the State Government to fill vacant medical posts before October 31, 2023.

In the orders, the court also stated that no request for the date extension would be accepted. The court gave the orders while holding a hearing on April 20 on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by MP Imitaz Jaleel.

As per the court orders, the Government will have to the recruitment process for grade III and IV (non-participation of Maharashtra Public Service Commission) posts before August 31 while the recruitment of those posts of grade III and IV which are filled through MPSC should be completed by October 31, 2023.

Government pleader Sujit Karlekar presented the information about vacant posts of grade I-- IV in the court on behalf of the Government. He informed the court that 1027 posts of teaching faculties (grade I and II) including 208 professors and 294 associate professors, were filled since the PIL was filed.

“A total of 6,936 posts of grade III are vacant. In the nursing staff category, 3,974 posts out of a total of 11,665 nurses, are vacant. Nearly 3,545 grade-IV posts out of a total of 9,543 have remained vacant,” Karlekar informed the court.

MP Jaleel alleged that false information about the staff was presented before the National Medical Council (NMC) in the inspection of new medical colleges and hospitals. The doctors from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other districts were transferred to the new medical colleges for their launch.

He also presented the list of doctors from Parbhani and Dharashiv Medical Colleges who were transferred on a temporary basis to new medical colleges. The MP claimed that the Government is misleading the NMC about the availability of doctors.

The court which granted the stay on the transfers of the doctors asked the Government pleader to provide information about handing over super speciality hospitals and machinery to private managements. Addressing a press conference, MP Jaleel gave this information.