The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 16 December, directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NrDMC) and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to release the salaries of the doctors of the nine hospitals they run for the month of October within two weeks.
The bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad were hearing an application moved by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
In the application, the IMA had also sought that the doctors of three hospitals – Swami Dayanand Hospital, Chandiwala Maternity Home and Shahdara Polyclinic – managed by the EDMC be included in the list of hospitals being considered for relief by the high court, reported news agency PTI.
While six other hospitals managed by NrDMC have also been included in the list issued by the IMA with regard to payment of stipends and emoluments to the resident doctors.
The high court initiated the PIL based on reports that doctors of the Kasturba Gandhi Hospital had threatened to resign as they have not been paid salaries since March this year.
Eventually, more petitions related to non-payment of salaries by the three municipal corporations of Delhi – North, East and South – to their employees and pensioners were also filed. The petitioners include doctors, nurses, paramedic staff, cleaning staff, teachers, Class-IV employees and retired staff such as teachers and engineers, reported PTI.
The counsel appearing for the civic bodies said that the funds have to be released by the Delhi government for salaries which will be disbursed by the municipal bodies. The court observed that the salaries to the doctors should be released.
“The doctors should not be deprived of their salaries,” the court said, reported Hindustan Times.
The petition will next be heard on 15 January 2021.
(With inputs from PTI and Hindustan Times)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)