HC asks state to consider pleas by 11 doctors for regular job

CHENNAI: Justice Abdul Quddhose of the Madras High Court directed the state government to consider the representations of 11 doctors who served during the COVID-19 pandemic on a contract basis in the government hospitals for getting assistant surgeon positions in the government.

The judge passed the direction on disposing of a petition filed by doctors named R Venkataraman, T Aruvi, S Bindhuraj, B Vishan, S Arun, Vinoth, R Ramachandran, S Pushkaran, Rajamurugan, PS Karthikeyan and W Bernal Sam Roy.

The petitioners prayed for a direction to the state to appoint them to the post of assistant surgeons in government hospitals by considering their services in all three COVID-19 waves. They further submitted that they have cleared the Medical Recruitment Board examinations but have yet to receive the appointment orders from the government.

The litigants pointed out the April 2021 Supreme Court direction and the Union Government’s notification in favor of the petitioners.

Concurring with the submissions of the petitioners, the judge directed the state to take a decision within eight weeks on the representation of the doctors. The judge ordered the petitioners to make a fresh representation enclosing the SC’s order and Union Government’s notification.

It is noted that the judge did not pass any direction to the government to make direct appointments in favor of the petitioners but to consider their representations in line with the direction of the Apex court and the May 2021, notification of the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare.