Delhi HC Directs Delhi Govt To Release Grant Within 15 Days For The Payment Of Salaries Of Resident Doctors Working In Hospitals Run By NDMC

The Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan has further directed the North DMC to utilise the said grant only for the payment of stipend to the resident doctors and no other purpose.

The order has come after the court took suo moto cognizance of multiple media reports that talked about the non payment of salary to the Resident Doctors of Kasturba Hospital and Hindu Rao Hospital situated at Delhi. Due to non-payment of salary for at last three months, the resident doctors intend to either resign en masse or go on strike.

Today, the North DMC informed the court that the stipend has been paid to the resident doctors for the month of May.

The court was also informed that for the subsequent months, North DMC has sent the proposal to the Delhi Government along with all the paperwork.

However, it was submitted by the municipal body that the Delhi Government has still not released any grant for the payment of salaries to the sanitation workers and other employees of the said hospitals.

Mr Satyakam, who appeared for the Delhi Government, informed the court that the North DMC has not submitted the utilisation certification for the earlier grants given by the government.

It was pointed out by Mr Satyakam that a sum of ₹136.96 crores is lying with the North DMC as 'unutilised'.

'We don't have an obligation to pay the salaries of North DMC's employees. We can only release grant in aid for the payment of salaries to the resident doctors under the head of health', Mr Satyakam submitted.

The court at this point reiterated that the scope of the present suo moto matter is only restricted to the payment of salaries to the resident doctors.

In light of this, the court also directed North DMC to produce before it, on oath, the utilisation certificates for the grants earlier released by the Delhi Government.

The court also clarified that all these arrangements are tentative in nature and does not crystallise any rights and liabilities.

The matter will next be taken up on August 31.