HC Issues Contempt Notice to RUHS for Withholding Medical College Affiliation Despite Court Order

Jodhpur: The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court has issued a contempt notice to Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) for failing to grant annual affiliation to a college in contravention of a direction issued by a coordinate bench.

While considering the plea filed by the medical college i.e. Saloni Institute of Medical Sciences, the HC bench comprising Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur observed that the RUHS was bent upon harassing the college for no good reason.

"The above narrated facts depict that the respondent RUHS is bent upon to harass the petitioner-Institution for no good reason," the HC bench said after considering the submissions made by the college.

Filing the plea, the college claimed that despite the directions issued by the Coordinate bench of the High Court, its affiliation for the year 2024-2025 was withheld.

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The petitioner college's counsel argued that without any reason, the college's name was excluded before the first round of counselling and was included only on the last date due to which it was not able to fill in its allotted seats.

It was submitted by the college's counsel that on account of the inaction on the part of RUHS, five seats remained vacant in the petitioner institute and the institute would have to bear the loss for the same.

Therefore, he prayed that the RUHS may be directed to suitably compensate the institute for the loss caused to it on account of inaction on their part and appropriate contempt proceedings may be initiated for its non-compliance with the HC order.

On the other hand, the counsel for RUHS submitted that after the Court's decision dated 27.08.2024, the first round of counselling began in October 2024, and the name of the petitioner institute was not included before starting the counselling.

He further submitted that he could not offer any plausible explanation for not granting the affiliation till date despite the Court order dated 27.08.2024. When the Court questioned it the counsel for RUHS submitted that no appeal before the Division Bench of this Court has been filed against the order dated 27.08.2024 till date.

Taking note of the submissions and perusing the previous court order, the HC bench noted, "A bare reading of the order dated 27.08.2024 reveals the inaction on the part of the respondent RUHS and less said the better, the authorities are undermining the orders passed by this Court. Since, the respondents have not issued the orders for annual affiliation of the petitioner-Institution till date for no good reason, therefore, it is a fit case where the suo-motu contempt proceedings are required to be initiated against the respondent RUHS."

Accordingly, it directed the Registry to register the plea as a contempt plea against RUHS through its Registrar and ordered,

"Issue notice to the respondent No.2 - Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, through its Registrar, Kumbha Marg, Sector – 18, Pratap Nagar, Tonk Road, Jaipur to show cause as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated against him for noncompliance of the order passed by this Court on 27.08.2024, returnable on 25.03.2025."

To view the Court order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/rajasthan-hc-order-276910.pdf

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