Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The way has been cleared for payment of pending honorarium amounting to Rs 2.37 crore to doctors who served the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation during the Covid-19 pandemic, risking their lives. The Maharashtra government has been directed to take a final decision on the proposal within four weeks and to release the pending payments to the petitioners within eight weeks.
The order was passed on December 8 by a division bench of the Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench, comprising justice Nitin Suryawanshi and justice Vaishali Patil-Jadhav. The bench clearly warned that failure to comply with the order within the stipulated time would amount to “serious contempt.”
As a result of a three-year sustained legal battle led by Maharashtra NSUI vice-president Dr Shadab Abdul Rahman Shaikh, nearly 300 Covid warrior doctors are now likely to receive their long-pending dues.
Background of the petition
During the Covid period, AYUSH, MBBS and BDS doctors appointed by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation were promised a monthly honorarium of Rs 50,000. However, they were paid only Rs 30,000 per month. Despite repeated representations and protests, the remaining amount was not paid, and their services were eventually terminated without clearing the dues.
Dr Shaikh filed a petition through adv Mohammad Aseem Mohammad Abdul Kaleem. Even after interim directions, the arrears were not paid, leading to the filing of a contempt petition.
During the hearing, assistant government pleader V.P. Dama informed the court that the District Collector had written to the Divisional Commissioner on July 21, 2025, seeking Rs 2,37,90,000 for the pending honorarium. The proposal has since been forwarded to the Relief and Rehabilitation Department at Mantralaya. The bench disposed of the contempt petition with the above directions.