Nagpur: A day after being reprimanded by Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court for being insensitive towards citizens’ medical emergency needs, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday withdrew its circular which prohibited supply of essential medicines and equipment to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur.
Earlier, ECI counsel Neerja Choube submitted a letter by ECI Secretary S K Das to the High Court indicating Commission’s no objection to the proposals for which Government Resolutions are to be issued by the respondents.
“In supersession of the Commission’s letter of May 7, I am directed to refer to the reference received through the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department on the subject cited and to convey that in compliance with the HC directives, ECI has no objection to the proposal contained therein, subject to the condition that there shall be no mention in this regard by anyone to gain political mileage in any way,” the ECI Secretary’s letter mentioned.
Immediately after ECI’s decision, the Maharashtra Government implemented its government resolution of May 7 and released Rs 26 crore for purchasing a Tesla MRI machine and Rs 13 crore for constructing eight waiting rooms for patients’ relatives on the GMCH premises.
In the light of its ‘No objection’ conveyed by the Election Commission of India through a communication as to implementation of the Government Resolutions of May 7, 2024, issued by the respondent-State Medical Education and Drugs Secretary, Justice Avinash Gharote and Justice Mukulila Jawalkar, at the High Court here, have ordered that the GR shall immediately come into force.
During hearing of the suo motu PIL relating to status and requirements of Govt Medical Colleges in Vidarbha, Advocate Neerja Choube representing the Election Commission of India, has tendered across the Bar a communication of May 8, 2024,indicating that the ECI has no objection to the proposals in respect of which GR are to be issued by the respondent-State Govt officials.
The HC has taken the said communication on record after marking that with ‘X’ for identification. Under the GR of May 7 last, approval has been granted for 3 Tesla MRI with Turn Key machine and an amount of Rs 26 crore has been sanctioned by the State. Now the respondent- Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority shall immediately issue the tender and ensure its completion within the shortest possible time, since space is already available in Super-Speciality Hospital for its installation.
Another GR is for construction of eight waiting rooms in the GMCH premises with an already approved sum of Rs 13.56 crore. The said work is expected to be completed by the State PWD by the time frame indicated in the order of March 15, 2024. The HC has instructed the ADGP Dipak Thakare to take appropriate steps to fill up vacancies as soon as available. The Court expects a progress report in this regard by June 13 next.
