A single-judge bench of the high court on Monday directed the state
government to inform the court the criteria used for posting junior doctors in hospitals. The order came while hearing a petition filed by three junior doctors challenging their postings.

The bench of Justice Biswajit Basu was hearing petitions filed by junior doctors Debashis Halder, Asfakulla Naiya and Aniket Mahata.

The three, who were among the prominent faces of last year’s junior doctors’ protest following the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, have challenged their postings, alleging vindictiveness.

Justice Basu directed the state government to respond by June 23 and sought a verbal assurance from the state’s counsel that no disciplinary action would be taken against Mahata for not joining the hospital he has been posted to.

Halder, Naiya, and Mahata — now senior residents — were posted to hospitals other than those they had selected during the counselling process in March. During counselling, junior doctors choose hospitals based on their rank on the merit list.

When the final posting order was issued by the state health department in May, the three doctors were assigned to hospitals they had not chosen during counselling.

Mahata, an anaesthesiologist, chose RG Kar hospital. He has been posted to Raigunj Government Medical College and Hospital.

Naiya, an ENT specialist, chose Prafulla Chandra Sen Government Medical College in Arambagh. He has been sent to Deben Mahato Government Medical College and Hospital in Purulia.

Halder, also an anaesthesiologist, chose Howrah district hospital, but has been posted to Gazole Rural Hospital.

“Inform the court on Monday about the basis for posting junior doctors — the policy that is followed for postings,” Justice Basu told the state’s counsel.

During the hearing, Mahata’s counsel told the court that the state might initiate disciplinary proceedings against him for not joining his assigned post.

All three doctors have challenged their postings, but Mahata has not joined the hospital he has been posted to.

Halder and Naiya have taken up their posts at the hospitals they have been assigned.

Mahata’s counsel also told the court that two junior doctors who were below him on the merit list were posted to RG Kar hospital, but Mahata was not.

Justice Basu then sought the state counsel’s verbal assurance that no action would be taken against Mahata till Monday.

“I hope the state will not do anything contrary to what the counsel has said in the courtroom,” the judge said.