PIL challenges appointment of NCISMC chairperson: Delhi HC seeks Centre's reply

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought the Centre's reply on a plea challenging the appointment of Chairperson of National Commission for Indian System of Medicine.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice on a public interest litigation by Ved Prakash Tyagi, former President of the erstwhile Central Council for Indian Medicine.

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The petitioner has alleged that the Vaidya Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari cannot be appointed as the Chairperson of the Commission as he does not hold a postgraduate degree which is a mandate under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020 (NCISM Act).

"Respondent No.2 (the commission) is a governing body for all matters relating to education and regulation of Indian Medicine in the Country. Thus, the interests of the large number of people/students /Indian medicine practitioners shall be adversely and severely affected if an ineligible person is allowed to continue as the Chairperson of such a critical statutory body," the petition reads.

It is asserted that if the appointment is upheld, it would set an "unhealthy precedent" in the field of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha as it would amount to granting recognition to a persons who hold a valid medical degree in terms of the NCISM Act.

The petition also alleges that no deliberations were held by the authorities before the appointment and the entire exercise of calling for application to the post was merely an eyewash.

The matter will be heard next in October. 

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