Association Of Medical Super ... vs Union Of India on 19 August, 2019
While referring to the judgment passed by Hon'ble Apex Court in case
titled as Association of Medical Super Specialty Aspirants and
Residents and Others Vs. Union of India, (2019) 8 SCC 607, Mr. Anup
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Rattan, learned Advocate General strenuously argued that Doctors who
have executed compulsory bonds shall be bound by the conditions
contained therein. He also placed reliance upon judgment dated
16.05.2024 passed by Division Bench of this Court in LPA No.93 of
2024, wherein it came to be held that bond executed by the first
respondent i.e. Doctor to serve the State of Himachal Pradesh would
continue for complete period and he cannot wriggle out of the same by
raising untenable pleas. Mr. Anup Rattan, learned Advocate General
further argued that plea raised by petitioners under an exceptional
Clause 6.8.2 of the Policy dated 27.02.2019 is not at all sustainable
because such exceptional Clause cannot supersede the bond
conditions, as furnished in the shape of legal undertaking by the
petitioners while undergoing the PG course. He further submitted that
otherwise also, posting orders of the petitioners cannot be said to have
been issued after expiry of one month. He submitted that final result of
final examination was declared on 07.03.2025 as per Annexure P-3, as
uploaded on the website of the Atal Medical Research University, but
since 08.03.2025 and 09.03.2025 were gazetted holidays, posting order
of the petitioners were issued by the Government vide notification dated
10.04.2025 (Annexure P-5). While referring to the supplementary
affidavit filed by Director, Health Services, Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Anup
Rattan, learned Advocate General, while justifying the impugned action
of respondents, submitted that some of petitioners, after being relieved
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from the concerned Heads of the Departments of the respective State
Government Medical College had reported to the Directorate of Health
on 10.03.2025 and thereafter, as per the provisions contained under
Clause 6.4 of the Policy dated 27.02.2019, their posting orders were
issued well within the stipulated period of one month. He further
submitted that necessary intimation with regard to joining of some
candidates was received from the concerned Colleges by Director,
Health Services for their posting, being the cadre controlling authority,
vide circular letters dated 10.03.2025, 11.03.2025, 12.03.2025,
13.03.2025, 15.03.2025 and 17.03.2025 and thereafter comprehensive
proposal for postings of all such general duty officers together with the
appointments of all such direct candidates (including the present
petitioners) after completion of their Post Graduate courses was put up
on file of the Administrative Department (Health) on 20.03.2025 by the
Branch concerned. He submitted that file was marked by the
Administrative Secretary (Health) to the Minister Incharge on
22.03.2025, who after having perused the same, marked the same to
competent authority for necessary approval on 25.03.2025. He submitted
that since between the period from 10.03.2025 to 28.03.2025, Budget
Session of H.P. Vidhan Sabha was going on and all the Government
Departments, including the office of competent authority were
preoccupied and busy with the said Budget Session, needful could only
be done on 10.04.2025. Mr. Anup Rattan, learned Advocate General
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further submitted that though there is no delay, if any, on the part of the
respondents, inasmuch as issuance of posting order, but even if it is
presumed that there is a delay, it is only of one or two days, which can
be ignored by this Court, taking note of public interest at large. Lastly,
Mr. Anup Rattan, learned Advocate General submitted that since
petitioners herein have done their MD/MS course at the expense of State
of Himachal Pradesh, coupled with the fact that they have executed the
bonds to serve the State of Himachal Pradesh, omission, if any, on the
part of the respondents-department to issue posting order within
prescribed period deserves to be ignored by this Court taking note of
larger public interest.