Plea against transfer of UCMS: HC seeks Centre's response

The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's response on a plea seeking quashing of its decision to transfer the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) to the Delhi government.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher also issued notice to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), Delhi government, UCMS and Delhi University seeking their reply before May 25.
The court notices were issued on a plea filed by eight professors and an associate professor of UCMS, who sought a direction to restrain the government from transferring them from UCMS to some other employer.
Advocate R K Saini, appearing for the professors, argued that they were aggrieved by the decision of the Union Cabinet, approving the option by which the Delhi government would make a proposal to the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, the Ministry of HRD, to take over UCMS.

Petitioner Dr Gopesh Mehrotra alleged in his petition that the August 25, 2005 decision of the government was arbitrary, discriminatory and without jurisdiction.
He also sought a direction to transfer Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital to UCMS to avoid duality of control, "since UCMS is the only medical institution of the country where hospital is not controlled by college and college has no say in running of hospital".
At present, UCMS functions under DU, while its mother hospital Guru Tegh Bahadur falls under the state government.