High Court directs govt to redo doctors' transfers

Dr Shailaja and others had moved the court seeking the quashing of the transfer orders claiming that they were a violation of Karnataka State Civil Service (Regulations of Transfer and Other Acts).

The High Court in February, 2011 had directed the State to come out with a rational system for transfers following a public interest litigation challenging the Government’s decision to transfer 400 doctors. However, the petitioners approached the court claiming that the ‘rational system’ was not satisfactory.

In June 2011, the Division Bench comprising the then Chief Justice J S Khehar had ordered for re-counselling. However, some of the candidates returned to the Court stating that only the petitioners’ transfers have been considered.

Th petitioners had submitted that several doctors who served for a long time in rural areas had not been transferred.

The petitioners had contended that rules provide for transfer of doctors who serve in rural areas for about five years while those transferred did not match the criteria.

The Division Bench headed by Justice Vikramajit Sen disposed the matter with a direction to redo the transfers.