Holding

The Supreme Court held that the State must take comprehensive, state‑wide action to identify and prosecute unqualified/unregistered medical practitioners, and the High Court's dismissal of the writ petition was erroneous.

Summary

The appellant filed a public‑interest writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking a mandamus directing the State of Uttar Pradesh to take action against unqualified and unregistered medical practitioners operating in Agra district. The High Court dismissed the petition on the ground that the Chief Medical Officer was still conducting an inquiry. On appeal, the Supreme Court examined whether the dismissal was appropriate given the continued menace and the State Government’s earlier directions under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and the United Provinces Medical Act, 1917. The Court found that the District Magistrates and Chief Medical Officers had merely forwarded names without any follow‑up, allowing the illegal practitioners to shift to other districts. Consequently, the Court held that comprehensive state‑wide directions were necessary to identify, prosecute and publicise the names of such practitioners. The appeal was allowed and the State was ordered to implement the specified steps.

Issues considered

Whether the High Court erred in dismissing the writ petition on the basis that an inquiry was pending.
Whether the State of Uttar Pradesh is obligated under the relevant medical statutes to take effective action against unqualified/unregistered medical practitioners.
Whether directions should be issued for the entire State rather than limited to Agra district.

Legislation cited

Subjects

unqualified medical practitionerspublic interest litigationmandamushealth lawadministrative lawUttar Pradeshmedical regulation

Judgment

D.K. JOSHI A
v.
STATE OF U.P. AND ORS.

J
APRIL 25, 2000

[S. RAJENDRA BABU AND S.N. PHUKAN, JJ.] B

Indian Medical Council Act, 1956-Section JS-Indian Medicine Cen-
tral Council Act, 1970-United Pmvinces Medical Act, 1917-Section 30-
Action against unauthorised and unqualified medical practitioners practicing
in Agra district U.P.-Wri.t petition for issuance of directions to curb this c
menace dismissed in limine as Chief Medical Officer was making an inquil)'-
On appeal Held, effective steps not taken to stop this menance which is
hazardous to human l{fe-Directions need to be issued in respect of entire
...J. State as after a warning the unauthorised practitioners have shifted to other
districts-State Government directed to take necessary steps and further steps
suggested. D

The appellant had filed a writ petition before the High Court for
issuance of directions to the respondents for taking action against unquali-
tied and unregistered medical practitioners in the district of Agra. The
Indian Medical Council and the State Government had also shown concern E
against this menace. High Court, however, dismissed the writ petition in
limine as the Chief Medical Officer was making an inquiry into the matter.
Hence this appeal.

Allowing the appeal, the Court
F
...,,. HELD : 1. It is distressing to note that inspite of the directions of the
State Government, the District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers
did not take effective steps to stop the menace of unqualified/unregistered
doctors practising which is hazardous to human life. Only the names of
such unauthorised Medical practitioners were forwarded to the District
G
Magistrates and no follow up action was taken. Such unqualified/unregis-
tered doctors have shifted to other neighbouring districts after being warned
l and unless directions are issued in respect of the entire State the problem
cannot be solved. [527-F-H]

2. The respondent-State shall take such steps as may be necessary to H
~ 525
526 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2000] 3 S.C.R.
A curb this menace and in addition take the following steps. All District
Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers of the State shall be directed t{)._
identify all unqualified/unregistered medical practitioners and initiate le-
gal action; Direct all District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers to
monitor all legal proceedings initiated against such persons; the Secretary,
Health and Family Welfare Department shall give due publicity to names of
B
such practitioners so that people do not approach them for medical treat-
ment; he shall also monitor the actions taken by all District Magistrates
and all Chief Medical Officers of the State and issue necessary directions
from time to time to these officers so that such unauthorised persons cannot
pursue their medical profession in the State. [528-B-D]
c
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 2016of1996.

From the Judgment and Order dated 3.5.93 of the Allahabad High Court
in C.W.P. No. Nil of 1993.

D T.B .. Padhyay and Sanjay Parikh for the Appellant.

Subodh Markandaya, Irshad Aluned, R.B. Misra and Ms. Feroza Bana
for the Respondents.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
E
PHUKAN, J. The appellant filed a writ petition before tht: High Court
of Allahabad in public interest praying for writ of mandamus directing the
respondents to initiate action against persons who are unqualified and unreg-
istered but carrying on medical profession unauthorisedly in the district of
Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The High Court by the impugned judgment dismissed the
F petition in limine with the observation that the Chief Medical Officer, Agra
would complete the inquiry which was pending in accordance with law. The
present appeal is against the said order of the High Court.

Though in the appeal, the State of U.P., the Director General, Medical
and Health Services, U.P., the Additional Director, Medical & Health, Agra
G and the Chief Medical Officer, Agra have been imp leaded as respondents, only
one affidavit has been filed on behalf of all respondents by the Deputy Chief
Medical Officer, Agra. In the reply affidavit, the allegation that such unquali-
fied persons are carrying on medical profession, is not denied. However, ii has
been stated inter alia that some such unqualified medical practitioners were
H identified ap.d the reports were sent to the District Magistrate. According to
D.K. JOSHI v. STATE [PHUKAN, J.] 527
the deponent such unqualified persons stopped medical practice in the district A
~
of Agra and have shifted to nearby districts. We are constrained to observe that
reply affidavit discloses as sad state of affairs of the administration. Instead
to taking action against these unqualified medical practitioners in accordance
with law and as per instructions of the State Government to which we shall
presently refer their names, were only forwarded to District Magistrate without
B
any follow up action by the authonties.

From the letter of Indiati Medical Council dated 3.5.91, which is on
record, we find that the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department,
State Government was apprised by the Medical Council of this problem in the
State and it was emphasized in the said letter tl1at these persons were openly c
playing with the health of public. The Secretary was requested that "public
may be relieved by taking strict action against unqualified/unregistered
..... practitioners and institutions which are providing illegal degree in Indian
~ System of Medicine." The State Government was also concerned with this
problem and the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department as far back
D
as on 2nd December, 1995 addressed a letter to all District Magistrates and
Chief Medical Officers of the State drawing their attention to the legal
provisions for taking appropriate action against such unqualified/unregistered
medical practitioners. In the letter attention was drawn to Section 15 of the
Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, Section 17 of the Indian Medicine Central
Council Act, 1970 and Section 30 of the United Provinces Medical Act, 1917. E
The District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Offices were also advised how
to initiate criminal action against these unauthorised practitioners.

It is distressing to note that in spite of above direction of the State
Government, the District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers did not F
~- take effective steps to stop tliis menace which is hazardous to human life. As
indicated above, the Chief Medical Officers only forwarded the names of such
unauthorised medical practitioners to the District Magistrates and no foJlow up
action was taken.

In the present appeal, directions have been prayed for only for district G
of Agra. In the reply affidavit, it has been stated that such unqualified/
unregistered doctors after being warned have shifted to other neighbouring
districts. We are, therefore, of the opinion that unless directions are issued in
respect of the entire State·of U.P. the problem cannot be solved. We set aside
the impugned judgment and direct as follows : H
·. 528. ~UPREME COURT REPORTS '[2000] 3 S.C.R.
A The· Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Sta:te of U.P.
shall take -such steps as may be necessary to stop carrying on medical
. profession in the State of U.P. by persons who are unqualifiedlllllfegistered and
in addrtion shall take followings steps :

(i) All District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers of the State
B shall be directed to identify, within a time limit to be fixed by the Secretary,
all unqualified/llllfegistered medical practiti~ners and to initiate legal actions
against these persons immediately;

(ii) Direct all District Magistrates and the Chief Medical Officers to
monitor all legal proceedings initiated against such persons;
c
(iii) The Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department shall give
.due publicity of the names of such unqualified/llllfegistered medical practi-
tioners so that people do not approach such persons for medical treatment.

(iv) The Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department shall monitor
D
the actions taken by all District Magistrates and all Chief Medical Officers of
the State and issue necessary directions from time to time to these officers so
that such unauthorised persons cannot pursue their medical profession in the
State.

E The appeal is allowed. No costs.

A.Q. Appeal allowed.