E-Paper
Not all Homeopaths can practice allopathy in Maharashtra, says Bombay high court
The state issued a notification on September 27, allowing Licentiate of the Court of Examiners in Homeopathy (LECH) degree holders, who have completed their homeopathic courses between 1951 and 1982, to practise allopathy.
The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday stayed a notification issued by the state government in September that allowed certain homeopathic doctors to practise allopathy.
The state issued a notification on September 27, allowing Licentiate of the Court of Examiners in Homeopathy (LECH) degree holders, who have completed their homeopathic courses between 1951 and 1982, to practise allopathy.
A bench of justice Shantanu Kemkar and justice Rajesh Ketkar stayed the notification as they felt it would be unsafe to allow homeopaths to practise allopathy. “You may practise allopathy at your own risk, but what about the patients,” the bench asked the lawyer representing homeopaths, while hearing a petition filed by Indian Medical Association that challenged the notification.
The question came after the lawyer submitted LECH degree holders have started to practise allopathy at their own risk, as observed by the high court earlier in a similar matter.
Senior advocate SU Kamdar, who represented the petitioner body, submitted that provisions of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Act, 1965, prohibit registration of any person in state medical register, unless his degree is recognised by the central government and the MCI.
He said in view of these legal provisions, the state cannot amend the Schedule to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) Act and allow LECH degree-holders to get themselves registered with MMC and start practising allopathy. Kamdar said the notification was issued, even after the MMC specifically rejected a similar proposal in December 2015.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
