SC disposes of plea seeking salary payment to doctors, healthcare workers

The Supreme Court Wednesday disposed of a plea seeking payment of salary to doctors and healthcare workers on the ground that the Delhi High Court was already seized of the matter.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said the high court had already taken suo motu cognizance of multiple media reports about the non payment of salary.

"In light of the suo motu proceedings being taken up by the Delhi High Court, we dispose of the plea with liberty to petitioner to raise issues, if any before the Delhi High Court," the bench also comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah, said.

The top court also noted that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has started paying salary to doctors.

Senior Advocate K V Vishwanathan, appearing for the petitioner, raised the issue of ASHA Workers who have not been paid salaries.

The court, however, said the issue does not fall within the purview of the petition before it.

The bench was hearing a plea of Arushi Jain, a private doctor, questioning the Centre's May 15 decision that 14-day quarantine was not mandatory for doctors.

Jain had also alleged in her plea that front line healthcare workers engaged in the fight against COVID-19 are not being paid salaries or their wages are being cut or delayed.