Delhi HC notice to Centre on plea challenging appointment of NCISM Chairman

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Centre and others on a petition challenging the appointment of the Chairman of the regulatory body of the National Commission for Indian System for Medicine (NCISM).

The plea sought the court's direction to quash the appointment of Vaidya Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari as Chairperson of NCISM, stating he is a disqualified candidate as per the prescribed qualification under the relevant act.

The bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh sought a response from the Union of India through the Ministry of Ayush, NCISM and Vaidya Jayant Yeshwant Deopujari and posted the matter for October 22.

The petitioner, Dr Raghunandan Sharma is an Ayurvedic doctor and a former president of the erstwhile CCIM (Central Council of Indian Medicine) which is the apex body to administer the profession and manage the AYUSH system of education in the entire country.

The plea filed through Advocate Ashok Kumar Panigrahi states that the new National Commission was brought into place replacing the Central Council to promote transparency as per the preamble of the New Act.

"But the Chairman of the National Commission is the same person who headed the CCIM as president, even the same fellow was appointed as the chairman of the Board of Governors, the interim body who was looking after the affairs of the CCIM after the repeal of the IMCC Act, 1970," said the plea.

The plea further stated that a new body named the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine was brought into place through an ordinance route and subsequently made an act as NCISM. "But, the past president of the CCIM along with some members are made the interim Governing body of the newly created NCISM interim management body by the administrative ministry," it added.

The plea also stated that the current Chairman of NCISM is "not the qualified candidate" as per the prescribed qualification for the appointment of Chairperson of the Commission and has no such administrative experience as a leader of any institution be it government, semi-government. or private institution except acting aselected president of CCIM for a small period of two and half years.

The same bench had on Wednesday also issued a notice to the Centre on one another petition filed in Delhi HC with similar grievances. The court has now listed both matters for October 22, to be taken together.

The petitioner has also sought appropriate direction calling for the records pertaining to the appointment of Yeshwant Deopujari as Chairperson of the Commission under Section 4 of the NCISM Act and seeking quashing of the Circular/Notification dated June 9.

( With inputs from ANI )

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