HC directs authorities to constitute MCI by March 31

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today directed the Centre, various states and member universities to conduct the election to the Medical Council of India (MCI) by March 31.

Hearing a PIL, a bench, comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice H R Malhotra, said the election to the MCI, the apex body of the medical professionals, had to be constituted by the date fixed by the court.

The Court issued notice to Secretary Health and Director Medical Education of Kerala to be present before it on March 1, the next date of hearing as it did not file a reply to the petition.

Officials in person, their counsel and representatives of various states and Universities-- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Tamil Nadu-- and Delhi University, Devi Ahilya University,Indore; Barkhtullah University,Bhopal; Gorakhpur University and Allahabad University were present in the court and gave assurance that they would complete the election process according to the schedule.

According to the MCI Counsel, rest of the states and member universities were adhering to the schedule to conduct the election by due date.

For the constitution of the Delhi Medical Council(DMC), the court has appointed former judge of Delhi High Court Justice Usha Mehra as the observer for the election process.

On the prayer of Praveen Khatter, lawyer for the Council, the Court said, "We make it clear that in the event of any suit filed in the subordinate court, the learned judge shall take account of the Court's order." While hearing a PIL filed by Dr Girish Tyagi, the court directed the Central Government and MCI to look into it that the election was not stalled due to paucity of funds.

The petition had sought the direction of the court to expedite the constitution of the MCI, which was pending for several months.

UNI