Haryana CM orders suspended medical officer’s reinstatement

Haryana CM has ordered that suspended Haryana civil medical services officer and former Panchkula civil surgeon Dr Jasjeet Kaur be reinstated pending an inquiry; file stuck with health minister

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has ordered that suspended Haryana civil medical services (HCMS) officer and former Panchkula civil surgeon Dr Jasjeet Kaur be reinstated pending an inquiry.

Former Panchkula civil surgeon Dr Jasjeet Kaur was suspended on July 6.

However, orders for Dr Kaur’s formal reinstatement are yet to be issued by the health department, as the file containing the CM’s orders is “stuck” with health minister Anil Vij, said highly placed sources in the department.

Dr Kaur’s suspension orders, signed by the superintendent health–1, additional chief secretary, health department, Haryana, were issued on the evening of July 6. “During the suspension period, her headquarters is fixed in the office of director general health services, Sector 6, Panchkula (sic),” the order stated.

While an ex post facto (done after an action has been taken) approval was accorded on file by the CM, questions were raised about the tearing hurry shown by the health minister in ordering Dr Kaur’s suspension without sending the file to the competent authority — the CM. The CM, as per the Rules of Business of the state government, is the competent authority to place a Class-1 officer under suspension and also revoke such orders.

Haryana speaker and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta had confirmed the suspension was fallout of personal reasons, as the civil surgeon had apparently “not followed” some directions given by the health minister.

Two days later, Dr Kaur had written a letter to the additional chief secretary, health, requesting reinstatement. According to highly placed sources, it was on this application moved by the civil surgeon that the CM issued the directions for reinstatement, pending an inquiry.

The final orders will be issued by the additional chief secretary after getting the health minister’s nod. If reinstated, Dr Kaur will be back as a medical administrative officer, but not necessarily as the Panchkula civil surgeon. Despite repeated attempts, Vij did not revert for a comment.

Dr Kaur had taken charge as the Panchkula’s civil surgeon in February 2020, a month before the pandemic, and led the fight against it from the front. Upon the suspension, support poured for her from both the medical fraternity and local citizens.

The Citizens’ Welfare Association, an apex body of resident welfare associations in Panchkula, wrote to Khattar, Vij and Gupta, demanding that Dr Kaur be reinstated. Even Indian Medical Association’s Panchkula chapter questioned the way she was suspended without giving an opportunity to explain herself.