Disband the Oversight Committee on MCI : Government Tells Supreme Court

In 2016, the Supreme Court had constituted a three member oversight committee with Justice RM Lodha (Former Chief Justice of India), Shri Vinod Rai ( Former CAG of India ) as well as  Prof Dr S.K Sareen ( Director, ILBS) to oversee all the activities of MCI for the next year.

New Delhi: The Central Government has sought the disbanding of the Supreme Court appointed Oversight Committee that was appointed by the apex court to oversee all the decisions of MCI in 2016, faulting it on the grounds that the panel gave recognition to 23 private medical colleges, even though they did not have the requisite infrastructure. The centre also pointed out that with the National Medical Commission Bill soon being in offing to replace the MCI and regulate the medical sector, there was no need for the three member committee to continue.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in 2016, the Supreme Court has constituted a three member oversight committee with Justice RM Lodha (Former Chief Justice of India), Shri Vinod Rai ( Former CAG of India ) as well as  Prof Dr S.K Sareen ( Director, ILBS) to oversee all the activities of MCI for the next year.

Read more at Medical Dialogues: Retd Chief Justice to oversee all MCI operations 

With the Committee looking into all the decisions of the apex medical regulator, a major bone of contention between the two arose when the Lodha Panel, overturning Medical Council Of India's decision,  granted permission to certain private medical colleges across the country, to begin their operations. These colleges were denied MCI permission based on infrastructural and other deficiencies found during inspection by the council. These approvals were conditional subject to another MCI inspection of the same.

Read Also: Lodha Panel overturns MCI decision, gives permission to 26 medical colleges

Read Also: MCI Reaches SC to oppose order constituting Lodha Panel

Post all inspections in 2016, the MCI recommended disqualification of 32 private medical colleges, based on which, the central government banned these colleges for 2 years with the government also forfeiting their Rs 2 crore security

Read Also:  32 private medical colleges banned for 2 years, Centre also forfeits their Rs 2 crore Security

TOI reports that citing this controversy, in relation to permission of private medical colleges, Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh on behalf of the government has now asked a bench of Justices J Chelameswar, R K Agrawal and Abdul Nazeer for disbanding the Lodha panel on medical education.

Supreme Court agreed to set up a five-judge constitution bench to adjudicate the question whether the apex court-appointed Oversight Committee will continue to look after the affairs of Medical Council of India.

Read Also:MCI row: 5-judge bench to decide fate of Oversight Committee