How are Posting Orders Decided for Junior Doctors? Calcutta HC asks State

Kolkata: While considering a plea filed by three junior doctors challenging their posting orders, a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court recently directed the State Government to inform the Court about the criteria used for posting junior doctors in the hospitals.

The plea before the High Court has been filed by three junior doctors- Debashis Halder, Asfakulla Naiya, and Aniket Mahata. All of them were among prominent faces during the junior doctors' protest following the brutal rape and murder of a PG resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Filing the plea, these doctors challenged their postings, alleging vindictiveness. These doctors, now senior doctors, received postings at hospitals, which were not selected by them during the counselling process in March.

The counselling process allows junior doctors to choose hospitals based on their rank on the merit list. However, after the State Health Department issued the final posting order in May, these doctors were shocked to find that they were assigned to hospitals that they did not choose during the counselling process.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that these three junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkatawere abruptly transferred to remote district hospitals just months after their initial postings. 

Dr. Debashis Haldar, Dr. Aniket Mahato, and Dr. Asfaqullah Naiya — were initially posted in February to Howrah, Hooghly, and Kolkata. However, in the final posting order, they were transferred to district hospitals in Malda, Purulia, and North Dinajpur, respectively.

Also Read: CBI tells HC No gangrape in RG Kar case, investigating larger conspiracy

They had alleged that this move was a retaliation for leading the RG Kar protest and challenged the Government's decision before the High Court. As per the latest media report by Telegraph India, while considering the matter, Justice Basu on June 23 directed the State Government to respond and sought a verbal assurance from the State's counsel that no disciplinary action would be taken against Dr. Mahata for not joining the hospital where he has been posted.

Telegraph India has reported that Dr. Mahata, an anesthesiologist, chose RG Kar Hospital. However, he was posted to Raigunj Government Medical College and Hospital.

While Dr. Naiya, an ENT specialist, chose Prafulla Chandra Sen Government Medical College in Arambagh, he was sent to Deben Mahato Government Medical College and Hospital in Purulia. Similarly, Dr. Halder, an anesthesiologist, was posted to Gazole Rural Hospital, instead of Howrah district hospital, which he selected during counselling.

Although all three doctors have challenged their postings, Dr. Mahata has not joined the hospital where he has been posted. Both Dr. Halder and Dr. Naiya have taken up their posts at the hospitals where they have been assigned.

The counsel for Dr. Mahata informed the Court that the State might initiate disciplinary proceedings against him for not joining his assigned post. Further, the counsel also submitted before the Court that two junior doctors who were below him on the merit list were posted to RG Kar Hospital, but Dr. Mahata was not. 

Taking note of the submissions, the HC bench sought verbal assurance from the State's counsel that no action would be taken against Dr. Mahata till Monday. "I hope the state will not do anything contrary to what the counsel has said in the courtroom," the bench observed.

Regarding the challenge against the posting order, Justice Basu told the State's counsel, "Inform the court on Monday about the basis for posting junior doctors — the policy that is followed for postings."

Also Read: Punishment Posting: Doctors who led RG Kar Protest transferred to remote areas