HC warns DMET of contempt for not complying with order
Cuttack: Orissa high court on Friday warned that strict action, including initiating contempt proceedings, will be taken against director of medical education and training (DMET), Dr Santosh Kumar Mishra, if he fails to comply within seven days with its order directing to consider an application by a govt doctor for NOC to pursue a fellowship programme.
Complainant Dr Smruti Snigdha Sahoo had filed a petition seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the DMET for non-compliance of the HC’s March 20 order, where he was directed to consider her application for the issue of a no-objection certificate, to enable her to pursue a super specialisation fellowship programme. HC had fixed 10 days for compliance of the order.
Dr Sahoo, after completing her post-graduation, is serving as senior resident in the department of radiology at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. Advocate Avijit Mishra made submissions on her behalf. Additional standing counsel, S K Parhi, appearing for the DMET contended that he has no instructions in the matter.
Taking serious note of it, the bench of Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra said, “In such view of the matter, the DMET is directed to implement the HC order issued on Dr Smruti Snigdha Sahoo’s petition on March 20, 2025 within a period of seven days, failing which the he shall be asked to appear before this court and explain as to why proceedings shall not be initiated against him under the Contempt of Courts Act.”
The matter has been scheduled for the next hearing on April 25.
According to the case records, Sahoo applied for a one-year fellowship programme at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore. As per communication issued to her on March 10, she was selected for the ‘Musculoskeletal Radiology’ programme, which was scheduled to start from April 1. Thereafter, she applied to the govt for grant of NOC to join the fellowship programme.
When her application was kept pending, Sahoo filed a petition seeking the HC’s intervention for grant of NOC to join the programme. Justice Mohapatra had issued the direction to the DMET on March 20 to consider Sahoo’s case within 10 days.
Complainant Dr Smruti Snigdha Sahoo had filed a petition seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the DMET for non-compliance of the HC’s March 20 order, where he was directed to consider her application for the issue of a no-objection certificate, to enable her to pursue a super specialisation fellowship programme. HC had fixed 10 days for compliance of the order.
Dr Sahoo, after completing her post-graduation, is serving as senior resident in the department of radiology at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. Advocate Avijit Mishra made submissions on her behalf. Additional standing counsel, S K Parhi, appearing for the DMET contended that he has no instructions in the matter.
Taking serious note of it, the bench of Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra said, “In such view of the matter, the DMET is directed to implement the HC order issued on Dr Smruti Snigdha Sahoo’s petition on March 20, 2025 within a period of seven days, failing which the he shall be asked to appear before this court and explain as to why proceedings shall not be initiated against him under the Contempt of Courts Act.”
The matter has been scheduled for the next hearing on April 25.
According to the case records, Sahoo applied for a one-year fellowship programme at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore. As per communication issued to her on March 10, she was selected for the ‘Musculoskeletal Radiology’ programme, which was scheduled to start from April 1. Thereafter, she applied to the govt for grant of NOC to join the fellowship programme.
When her application was kept pending, Sahoo filed a petition seeking the HC’s intervention for grant of NOC to join the programme. Justice Mohapatra had issued the direction to the DMET on March 20 to consider Sahoo’s case within 10 days.
