Continue the Arrangement at Mahbubabad Community Centres: Telangana HC

Hyderabad: The services rendered by an agency at the Mahbubabad government district hospital will continue pending adjudication of a writ petition in this regard. Justice C. Sumalatha of the Telangana High Court extended an earlier interim order in favour of Sainath Outsourcing Agency and Enterprise of Mahbubabad. The beneficiary filed a writ petition challenging the action of the principal secretary of medical and health in terminating its contract. Senior counsel A. Venkatesh, appearing for the petitioner, pointed out that the petitioner was selected on a tender notification for providing Integrated Hospital Facility Management Services (IHFMS) in Gudur and Garla community health centres for three years from July 2022. On notice for violation of tender conditions, it is the case of the petitioner that it had submitted its explanation, but the impugned termination order was made without considering the response. Venkatesh argued that the respondents proceeded with the impugned cancellation without providing for alternatives at the health centres, which could cause great inconvenience to the patients. The court earlier observed that there was no clarity on the alternative arrangements and suspended the order of termination.

DME’s appointment as returning officer questioned

Justice C. Sumalatha of the Telangana High Court ordered fresh notice to the state government in a writ petition dealing with elections to the TS Medical Council (TSMC).  The judge was dealing with a writ plea filed by Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA), questioning the nomination of the director of medical education (DME) in his capacity as chief election officer as being a returning officer for the ensuing elections to the TSMC. Sama Sandeep Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, stated that in April, the High Court set aside the appointment of Dr K. Ramesh Reddy as in-charge of medical education. Despite this, he continued to function as the director based on a subsequent GO appointing him both as in-charge of DME and commissioner Vaidya Vidhana Parishad. The petitioner's counsel pointed out that it is not as if the government was running short of choices. He said that there were many senior officers who were available but for inexplicable reasons, they were being overlooked by the government.  

HC directs seat for PG medical student

A two-judge bench of the Telangana High Court directed Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar, to admit a medical student in the PG orthopedics course if she reported to the college by September 9. The bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar passed the order in a writ plea filed by T. Prashanth, alleging that the college was insisting on submitting a bank guarantee of Rs16.8 lakh at the time of submission of original documents, which was contrary to the government orders issued in August 2022 that permitted a candidate to submit bank guarantee within one month. The respondent stated that the last date for reporting for admission was September 9, and the candidate had failed to approach them. Considering the rival submissions, the bench directed the college if the petitioner approaches the college on or before September 9 apart from furnishing an undertaking that she shall furnish the bank guarantee by October 4.

No writ against the law: HC

A division bench of the Telangana High Court reiterated the scope of the writ petition under Article 226, of the Constitution and refused to grant relief which is in contravention of the rules. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar, was hearing a writ plea filed by Rerika Bhavya Sri, seeking a direction to participate in mop-up phase counselling as she did not opt for the seats allotted earlier. The petitioner was allotted a seat in the Government Medical College at Karimnagar in the first counselling and in Surabhi Medical College, Siddipet, in the second. She was now asking for participation in the mop-up round. Prabhakar Rao, counsel for the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, said that as per Rule 4(iv) of Telangana Medical & Dental Colleges Admission (Admission into MBBS & BDS Courses) Rules, 2017, she was not eligible for the mop-up phase of counselling. The rule read: “If the candidate is allotted seat, he/she has to report for admission without fail. If the candidate has not reported, he/she will not be considered for allotment of a seat for subsequent rounds of counselling / web-based allotment.” The bench dismissed the petition observing “petitioner is not entitled to participate having failed to avail of the opportunity granted.”