Cuttack, Oct. 26: The Odisha government seems to be in a quandary over filling up of all the sanctioned posts of allopathic, homoeopathic and ayurvedic doctors.

In June last year, secretary of the Keonjhar Zilla Surakhshya Parishad Dillip Kumar Mohapatra filed a PIL in Orissa High Court seeking its intervention in filling up the vacant posts.

The court, on June 27, 2011, directed the Odisha government to fill up all the sanctioned posts of allopathic, homoeopathic and ayurvedicdoctors.

On the same day, the high court said in its order: “It would be just and proper for the Odisha government to see the selection process is expeditiously carried out and select the eligible candidates in all the vacant posts in accordance with the recruitment rules and fill up the same to serve the people of the state.”

Moreover, the high court also fixed a 12-week deadline for compliance of the order after the Odisha government had admitted that 1,085 of the sanctioned posts of allopathic doctors, 151 posts of homoeopathic doctors and 94 posts ayurvedic doctors were lying vacant.

This year, Mohapatra, who is also a Orissa High Court lawyer, has again filed a contempt petition, alleging non-compliance of the order.

In response to Mohapatra’s petition, a senior official of the Odisha health and family welfare department filed an affidavit, stating that 400 allopathic doctors had already been appointed on adhoc basis between December 15, 2011 and April 27, 2012.

Moreover, on recommendation of the Odisha Public Service Commission, 60 regular allopathic doctors have also been appointed for various hospitals of Odisha, the affidavit stated.

Further, the public service commission has also recommended another 351 candidates for their appointment as assistant surgeons. The file has been processed for government orders for posting of these 351 doctors at various hospitals of Odisha, the affidavit said.

However, the high court issued a showcause contempt notice to the Odisha health secretary.

The case will be taken up for hearing after the high court reopens after Puja vacation.

Though 151 posts of homoeopathic doctors and 94 of ayurvedic doctors have been lying vacant for more than two years, filling those up has not been possible owing to lack of the recruitment rules for the posts, official sources said.

The posts of homoeopathic and ayurvedic medical officer have been upgraded to Class II posts.

A health department official said the required recruitment rules for the posts of ayurvedic and homoeopathic medical officers were under process.

Steps will be taken to fill up the posts through the commission after finalisation of the said rules.