Former MGR Medical University registrar issued notice for iitiating contempt proceedings

Updated on: Saturday, November 10, 2012

The former registrar of Tamil Nadu MGR Medical University was issued notice by Madras HC for initiation of contempt proceedings against her for her letter to Medical Council of India that it shall not obey certain directions of the court.

In her December 26, 2011 communication to the MCI, the then registrar S Srilakshmi had "impetuously expressed that the university shall not obey the directions," a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam observed.

The communication was over the issue that whether the new guidelines framed by the university officials for clinical and viva voce examination, which are inconsistent with regulations of MCI, can be sustained in law.

"In our view, therefore, a clear case of contempt has been made out against the Registrar of the university. Hence, taking this issue seriously against the Registrar, we direct the Registrar of the university to file a show cause as to why proceedings for contempt be not initiated against her," court said.

After University's counsel submitted that the person who wrote the communication was no more the registrar, the bench directed the university to serve the notice on her by the person who had written the letter in that capacity.

On November 16 last year, the court, after hearing a batch of appeals and petitions, had said guidelines framed by the university was inconsistent/repugnant to regulations 12 (4) of the Medical Council of India Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997.

The university had later moved the Supreme Court against the High Court's order, which was dismissed on December 16, 2011.

"However, the university, instead of obeying the directions of the Madras High Court, had impetuously expressed that the university shall not obey the directions," the court observed, adding that this was evident from the Registrar's letter to the MCI Secretary.

The bench posted the matter for November 20 and also directed MCI's counsel to file a counter by the adjourned date.

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