SC declines to stay MCI elections

The Supreme Court on Monday declined a plea seeking stay on impending elections to the post of president and vice-president of the Medical Council of India (MCI) scheduled on December 10-11.

A bench of Justices G S Singhvi and C Nagappan did not find any reason to interfere with the Calcutta High Court’s order declining to allow the similar plea made by NRI doctor Kunal Saha and others.

US-based Saha was awarded the highest ever compensation of around Rs 11.41 crore for death of his 29-year-old wife due to medical negligence by Kolkata doctors in 1998. He later formed an NGO for improving health services in the country.

In their plea, the petitioners contended that the MCI has been run for the past three years by a handful of doctors as the Union Health Ministry had selected a “Board of Governors”. 

They claimed that the ministry had published names of only about 59 doctors (out of a total strength of about 130 MCI members) last month, who were already elected or nominated as members for the next MCI. Soon after that, MCI secretary issued a notice that election of next MCI president and vice-president will be held on December 10-11, 2013 by the new members among themselves.

The petitioners also claimed that the elections in different state bodies were yet to be completed in order for them to get elected to the apex body, which would frustrate the doctors.