SC to hear contempt of court petition against Ramadoss on Aug21

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) The Supreme Court today decided to hear on August 21, a contempt of court petition against Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and Health Secretary P K Hota, filed by Resident Doctors' Associaton (RDS) of AIIMS and Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) for not releasing the salaries of the doctors for the period of their strike despite orders of the court on July 17.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal fixed August 21 as the date of hearing, when the matter was forwarded before the court by the counsel.

A bench, headed by Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat, had on July 17, directed the Union Health Ministry to pay the salaries from May 13 to May 30 to the doctors who participated in the strike against the reservation policy of the government, providing for 27.5 per cent quota for the OBCs in admission to educational institutions.

The court also reprimanded the government for following the principle of "No Work, No Pay" in case of medicos, despite assurances to the court on May 31 that there would be no punitive action against the doctors for participating in the strike.

The medicos had, as directed by the Court, called off the 18-day-long strike. The apex court had issued directions for calling - off the agitation, keeping in view, the sufferings of the patients, holding that patients could not be left to the mercy of the God and right to medical treatment was inseparable from right to life guaranted under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The RDA in their contempt petition had contended that both the respondents were guilty of wilful and deliberate disobedience of the court's orders, as the salaries of the doctors for the period of strike had not been paid till date, despite orders from the court.

It may be noted here that AIIMS Director Prof P Venugopal was sacked by Dr Ramadoss when he issued orders for the payment of the salaries to the doctors for the period they were on strike.

His dismissal was, however, stayed by the Delhi High Court.

The doctors were opposing the reservation policy of the government on grounds that caste-based reservation will divide the country on caste lines and was also detrimental to the efficiency of the administration as well as the profession.

The Supreme Court has already admitted that a petition challenging the order of Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, announcing the 27.5 per cent reservation to be provided to the OBCs in admission to educational institutions from the academic year 2007-2008.

UNI AKS/XC LL GC1300