The reply given by Deputy Director (Administration) of the Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) over the resumption of duties of Director, RIMS by Dr. Sekharjit had stunned many in the state as it stated that the time frame given by the Manipur High Court is yet to be over. In its ruling the Manipur High Court had directed the Governing body of RIMS to allow Dr. Sekharjit to discharge duty as the director of RIMS if the authority failed to follow the court directives within three weeks period from the day the verdict was announced. The verdict was announced on July 31 this year, which means, the said period is over yesterday.
Reproduced here is the verdict of the Manipur High Court announced July 31 – “ The Writ petition can be disposed off directing respondent No. 2 to pass necessary order in terms of rules and regulations of writ petition within three weeks from the date of communication of this order or allow the petitioner to discharge duty of director -in-charge of his appointment order on the expiry of 3 weeks from the date of communication of this order in terms of rules and regulations”.
However, according to source from both the RIMS and the High court no follow-up has been taken up to quash the High Court verdict neither, the authority had accepted the court order.
Dr. Sekharjit was relieved from the duty of the Director on August 25, 2014 by an order of the Deputy Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (North East Section). The original text of the order read as –”Dr. S. Sekharjit Singh, Director, regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Imphal is hereby relieved of his duties of Director RIMS, Imphal with immediate effect”. The order also appointed Dr. Arun Kumar Singh HOD & Professor (Orthopaedics) RIMS as in-charge director of RIMS until further order.
Interestingly after Dr. Sekharjit was relieved from duty he was neither allowed to return to his original position neither he was allowed to move forwards with his profession as his position was not clearly mentioned in the order.
This confusion was challenged to the Manipur High Court by Dr. Sekharjit and after deliberate study to the merit of the case the High Court announced the verdict to follow the laws of the land while taking out the verdict within three weeks or resume him as the Director RIMS.
The court order remains of no use as the RIMS authority had failed to acknowledge him as the director.
