New Delhi, Sept 05: The Supreme Court today issued notice to Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee seeking his assistance in a case pertaining to the powers to be exercised by the state medical councils and the Medical Council of India (MCI) on doctors guilty of medical negligence. A bench comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice Ashok Bhan sought the assistance of AG and posted the petition filed by one Malay Ganguly who had alleged that doctors guilty of medical negligence continue to practice as their licences were not suspended by the state medical councils and no action was taken by MCI. The apex court, after filing of the petition, had noticed that several states had not even constituted the medical councils and were not maintaining any record as to who were the registered medical practitioners in their states.

The bench today said in its order that there were allegations that several unqualified persons were masquerading as doctors at the cost of a vast population of illiterate and poor people. The court would consider questions including the power of the MCI to remove name of a doctor from the list of registered medical practitioners when the state council was not taking action and whether licence of a doctor, convicted of medical negligence, be suspended till the disposal his appeal before higher courts.

Bureau Report