HC issues notice to Delhi govt on plea challenging appointment of medical director at Ambedkar Hospital

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Delhi Government on a petition challenging the appointment of the Medical Director of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice DN Patel asked the Delhi Government and others to file and listed the matter for August 23.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Delhi Government on a petition challenging the appointment of Medical Director of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini here. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice DN Patel asked the Delhi Government and others to file and listed the matter for August 23. The petition was filed by Suresh Gaur through advocate Avadh Kaushik. The petitioner said that the appointment of Dr Navneet Kumar Goel, Specialist Grade-I (Orthopedics) as the 'Medical Director' of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, Delhi vide their order dated March 10, 2021, was absolutely anomalous, illegal, arbitrary, biased and without jurisdiction action of the respondent.

He has sought quashing and setting aside the appointment of respondent Goel to the post of Medical Director of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini, Delhi made vide impugned Order dated March 10, 2021, being the same totally illegal, arbitrary, malafide, biased and without jurisdiction, authority and power. In the petition, the petitioner has urged for calling for the record of the case for perusal. The petitioner sought to direct respondents to explain as to under what power and capacity and under what Rules and Statute, they have appointed Dr Navneet Kumar Goel as the Medical Director of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini, Delhi, despite he, being Junior and ineligible for the said post.

He also sought the constitution of a high-level inquiry committee headed by a retired judge of this court to inquire into and to submit a report of the circumstances under which Dr Navneet Kumar Goel has been appointed ignoring and barring all experienced and senior Doctors of Delhi Health Services having Senior Administrative Grade. He has submitted that the facts revealed that Navneet Kumar Goel is neither competent nor eligible and he is, even otherwise, having no qualification and experience whatsoever in the administrative fields and thus, is absolutely unfit and ineligible for the post of 'Medical Director' much less in a 500-bedded super speciality Government Hospital.

It is submitted that, as would reveal from the facts, shockingly, Goel is even not having Senior Administrative Grade ('SAG') which is a basic and essential requirement and qualification for appointment a doctor as the 'Medical Director' of a hospital, inasmuch as Dr Navneet Kumar Goel is merely a Grade-I Medical Officer, whereas, more than 100 Doctors and Medical Officers, senior to him, having SAG level are available and working in the different Hospitals in Delhi and many of them are working in the same BSA Hospital and they are fully eligible, available and interested in taking the responsibility of the post of Medical Director of the said Hospital, the petition said.

(ANI)