Nursing Council asked not to make policy decisions without permission

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court comprising Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Y G Khobragade recently directed the administrator of Maharashtra Nursing Council (MNC) not to take any policy decision related to the petitioners.

According to details, a petition was filed in the High Court seeking to quash the Government's orders of July 5, 2023, dismissing the executive body of the MMC and appointing an administrator. The bench gave the above directions. The next hearing on this petition will be held on November 29.

The elections of the MNC executive body were held in December 2022. But, the State Government did not publish the names of the elected members in the gazette. Therefore, an elected member Anuradha Savargave filed a petition in the bench. Despite the bench's orders, the government had failed to release the names of the members. When a contempt petition was filed, the names of the newly elected body members were published in the gazette.

The new executive had functioned for just a few months, the government dismissed the executive body and appointed administrator on July 5, 2023, citing irregularities in the MNC. Arun Nanasaheb Kadam and others filed a petition through adv Ashwin Hone to challenge the Government orders.

A hearing on this petition was held before Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arun Pednekar on September 15. The court issued directives to hear the petition on top priority (high on board) at the next hearing for interim stay.

When the hearing was held on the petition on October 23, it was brought to the notice of the court that the administrator was acting arbitrarily and cancelling the decisions taken by the members. The court directed the MNC administrator to not hold elections nor take policy decisions which have effects on the rights of petitioners, without permission.

Senior lawyer Vinayak Hone appeared for the petitioners while senior lawyer Vijayakumar Sapkal as special Government pleader and assistant Government pleader A V Deshmukh represented the Government. Adv S B Deshpande and adv Swapnil Joshi were present for the MNC.