SC approves replacement of MCI panel

Bench says it is satisfied with new names

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Centre to replace an oversight committee set up to supervise the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a fresh panel of five doctors.

A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, said the Centre had proposed the names of five eminent doctors to replace the oversight committee led by former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha, whose term had just expired.

“The doctors proposed are all outstanding people. We are satisfied with the names,” the bench, also comprising Justice J Chelameswar, R K Agrawal, D Y Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer, said.

The committee, set up by the court on May 2 last year, was to function for a period of one year or till a suitable mechanism was brought in by the Centre to substitute it.

The fresh names suggested by the government are Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS, Delhi; V K Paul, Professor and Head of Paediatrics, AIIMS; Nikhil Tandon, Professor and Head of Endocrinology, AIIMS; Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER, Chandigarh; and B N Gangadharan, Director of NIMHANS, Bengaluru.