HC stays order of replacing bonded med officers with BAMS graduates

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court granted a stay on the Maharashtra minister for health and family welfare’s April 28 order on a petition filed by Dr Anand Barate and others.

Through the order, the minister had issued directives to all deputy directors of health services, district surgeons, district hospital and health officers at Zilla Parishad, to post all existing contractual/ad-hoc medical officers at their earlier posting. He also directed that the bonded medical officers be released and posted at remaining vacant posts available in the district.

Justice Vrushali Joshi also issued notices to all respondents including the ministry of health and family welfare secretary, asking them to reply in two weeks.

The petitioners contended that the MBBS students were made to sign a bond that they would be doing services in rural areas after completion of their degree for a year. In case of default, they need to pay ₹10 lakh to the government.

On suggestions of theNIMA, the minister issued directives that the posts of all contractual medical officers, which were allotted to the bonded officers, were handed over to the BAMS graduates.