The Bombay High Court has ordered the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS) to receive all state government documents before it can respond to a show-cause notice issued by the medical education secretary Ashwini Joshi regarding alleged shortcomings in CPS-affiliated institutions. To give the CPS time to receive and review the materials, the hearing, which was initially planned for Tuesday, has been postponed to April 26.
The CPS, which provides post-graduate diploma and fellowship programmes, had contested a notice sent on March 14 asking them to demonstrate why their programmes shouldn’t be stricken from the Maharashtra Medical Council Act’s first schedule. Additionally, it asked the high court to approve the continuation of the admissions process, which had been
Based on a report from the administrator chosen after the term of the Maharashtra Medical Council expired in August 2022, the warning was issued. The administrator’s appointment was contested, hence his report was unlawful, according to CPS Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam. The entire plan, according to Kadam, is to eliminate us. The judges said that the state had to be given a chance to respond to the case. Kadam pleaded for immediate relief because the hearing was set for the following day, but Joshi refused to approve of counselling.
Milind Sathe, a senior state counsel, explained that the delay in admissions was due to the need for the government to guarantee that colleges had the essential facilities, teachers, and personnel. When the judges questioned if the whole record was included with the notice, Kadam said that a small number of papers were delivered on April 5 following the filing of a right to information request.
Regarding a previous incident, Kadam stated, “The high court has dealt with her conduct.” Additionally, he noted that the CPS has received favourable evaluations from two central committees, including one headed by cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty. According to Kadam, the administrator who wrote the report has no authority.
The justices disapproved of the state, arguing that the CPS must be given access to every material. “You (state) will make sure that they receive every report and recommendation. They will have every single shred of paper from this lady (Joshi),” stated Justice Patel. The CPS wants to begin counselling, Sathe retorted, but Justice Patel directed the CPS to hold off until April 25.
