DB stays order relaxing bond conditions to PG doctors
The state government preferred a Letters Patent Appeal (LPA No. 285 of 2025) against the decision, arguing that the doctors were trying to avoid their legal obligation to serve in government health services as agreed under a bond.
The division bench of Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma stayed the impugned order, maintaining that the bond conditions and two years of mandatory service in the rural areas couldn't be relaxed once MBBS signed the bond.
The State, represented by Advocate General Anup Rattan along with Pranay Pratap Singh and Swati Draik, told the court that each doctor had signed a bond of Rs 40 lakh in January 2022, agreeing to work for the State for two years after completing their course.
They were also paid monthly stipends by the government during their studies. The policy behind the bond aims to ensure that trained doctors serve poor and rural areas of Himachal Pradesh.
However, after the results were declared on April 7, 2025, the doctors wrote to the government on April 9, asking for the return of their degrees and cheques, claiming that they hadn't received field posting orders within the time limit set by the policy.
The policy says that posting orders must be issued within one month of the result declaration, failing which the bond would not apply. The doctors argued that this condition was not met.
The State disagreed, explaining that the candidates had only been officially relieved from their colleges on March 10, 2025, and that the posting orders were issued on April 10, 2025. They argued that the timeline should start from the relieving date, not the result date, and that the State had acted within the required time.
The State further accused the doctors of trying to escape their service obligations while having already taken full benefit of the scheme for three years.
The Division Bench found that the matter needs closer examination. The court noted that the doctors approached the court on April 23, 2025—after the government had already issued their posting orders. It questioned why the doctors didn't first seek enforcement of the postings if they were serious about joining service.
As a result, the High Court stayed the Single Judge's directions to release the degrees and cheques.
However, it allowed the part of the judgement that asked the State to take action against officials responsible for any delay in issuing the posting orders. The case would now be heard again on August 4, 2025.
This case raises important questions about the enforcement of service bonds and the responsibilities of medical professionals who receive government-funded education. The court would consider whether the doctors' actions were genuine or an attempt to avoid public service duties.
UNI ML ARN
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 minutes ago
- India.com
Good news! Now you can get insurance for low price, get Rs 2 lakh cover for only Rs 20 in this govt scheme, name is….
Good news! Now you can get insurance for low price, get Rs 2 lakh cover for only Rs 20 in this govt scheme, name is…. Get Rs 2 lakh insurance for just a cost of two tea cups. Know about Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana here. By Joy Pillai Edited by Joy Pillai Advertisement Good news! Now you can get insurance for low price, get Rs 2 lakh cover for only Rs 20 in this govt scheme, name is.... Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana: Many people have a habit of drinking tea and smoking cigarettes. This habit affects health and, in the long run, causes serious diseases. But what if we tell you that you can buy insurance worth Rs 2 lakh just by skipping two cups of tea or a cigarette? Today, we are telling you about an insurance scheme that provides financial security at a very low premium. No, it is not a fraud scheme, and there are no hidden charges either, because the scheme is run by the Government of India. The name of this scheme is Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). Let's know more about the scheme. What Is Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana? Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is basically an accident insurance scheme which offers accidental death and disability cover on account of an accident. The aim of the scheme is to provide financial strength to economically weaker families. The premium under PMSBY is only Rs. 20 per year. Under this scheme, you can also deposit a premium of Rs. 2 every month. Under this scheme, this amount is deducted from your Aadhaar linked bank account every year. Advertisement === Key Features Of PMSBY If the insured person becomes completely disabled in an accident, then he is eligible to get Rs 2 lakh. In case of a partial accident, Rs 1 lakh is given under the scheme. Advertisement === The insurance can be renewed every year. If the policyholder dies, then this money is given to the family. Who Can Avail The Benefit? People between the ages of 18 to 70 can avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme. Notably, this policy ends automatically on completion of the age of 70 years. Only Indian citizens are eligible for the security insurance scheme. The applicant must have an active bank account in any bank, which is linked to Aadhaar. If your bank account is closed then this policy will also end. The policy cover period is between 1st June to 31st May. What Is The Process Of Applying? To apply for this insurance program, apply at your bank. The bank will provide an application form which, once completed and submitted with the required documents, will initiate the process.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Chandigarh salon ordered to pay Rs 54,000 after woman suffers allergic reaction to hair colour
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has directed a salon in Chandigarh to pay Rs 54,000 to a Mohali woman for failing to provide the latter a first-aid kit or an ambulance to the hospital after she developed an allergic reaction to hair colour. In her complaint, the woman stated that she went to Hair Masters Salon in Sector 9, Chandigarh, for hair colour services, and the salon recommended the services of its hairdresser Sahil Ali — their most skilled hairdresser. The complainant was informed that the cost for hair colouring by Sahil Ali would be Rs 12,000, and the cost for Botox would be Rs 5,900. The salon, thus, began the process of colouring the complainant's hair on March 10, 2023. The complainant alleged that after the hair colour was applied, she started experiencing nausea, a feeling of sickness and an urge to vomit. Her condition worsened, and she began to vomit heavily due to an adverse reaction to the hair colour, she alleged. 'At this point, her mother asked the salon to arrange for an ambulance or cab to transport her daughter to the nearest hospital, but the salon declined to provide any assistance. The complainant's mother immediately took her to the nearest private hospital, CHD City Hospital, in Sector 8C, Chandigarh, and it was diagnosed that the complainant was suffering from multiple episodes of vomiting, abdominal pain and one episode of loose stool. These symptoms were due to an allergic reaction that the complainant underwent hair colouring treatment at the aforementioned salon,' the complaint reads. The complainant said that after admission to the hospital for three days, she was finally discharged on March 12, 2023, after incurring a total amount of Rs 21,907 on medical treatment. She, thus, submitted a formal complaint before the Consumer Commission. The Hair Masters Salon in reply stated that the complainant, before initiation of the services, mentioned that she was already unwell and uneasy, and thus, the complainant was advised to cancel her appointment and come on another date. 'However, she insisted that she was fine and wanted to proceed with her hair colouring and other services as scheduled,' the salon stated, adding that the complainant was aware of her condition and chose to proceed with the treatments, indicating that her initial unease was not severe enough to deter her from continuing. After hearing arguments, the Commission perused the medical prescription of the complainant and observed, 'It is clearly mentioned that the complainant had allergic reaction after hair colouring…using a variety of chemical products dyes, bleaches and other compounds, which can cause health problems to some of the persons receiving such treatments, as they have different sensitivities…' 'The salon did not have the first-aid kit or the SOS medication, nor did they arrange any taxi or ambulance service, while the complainant developed complications, such a negative attitude and lack of first aid services, definitely makes them deficient in providing services,' the Commission added. The Commission, thus, directed the respondents in the case, Hair Masters Salon, Nadeem, Sahil Ali, and Jitender Kaur, all of Hair Masters Salon, to jointly refund an amount of Rs 17,900 to the complainant towards hair colour treatment and to pay Rs 21,907 expenditure incurred towards the treatment of complainant, Rs 7,500 as compensation and Rs 7,000 as costs of litigation.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Volunteer-run medical helpline helps 900 BPL patients; saves families over Rs 2 crore
BENGALURU: A 24x7 medical helpline, started by a group of 30 professionals, including doctors, engineers, and recruiters, is transforming how low-income families in Karnataka access healthcare. In just over a year, the team has assisted more than 900 patients from Below Poverty Line (BPL) backgrounds, and helped their families save over Rs 2 crore in medical expenses by guiding them to the most feasible and affordable treatment options. The initiative — ABF Health initiative, a project by non-profit Active Bengaluru Foundation (ABF) — was born out of the confusion and helplessness the volunteers witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many poor families trying to gather where to go, how to afford treatment, and how to utilise government health schemes. Accordingly, the helpline connects callers to district surgeons, government hospitals, and helps them understand how to claim benefits they are entitled to. Thouseef Ahmed, a volunteer, said the helpline does not offer direct medical advice, financial support or treatment, but plays a critical role in helping families access existing government services. Volunteers help patients understand how to use their BPL health card, connect them to government hospitals, speak with Arogya Mitras, and assist in coordinating essential needs like oxygen support, diagnostics, or mobility aids. They also explain how to access funding under schemes like Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK). 'The idea emerged during Covid, when many of the same volunteers were involved in food and ration distribution. Over time, they found that many who were struggling to find treatment were not even aware of the government schemes designed for them. This gap between entitlement and access became the central motivation for setting up the ABF Health Helpline,' Ahmed said.
