The High Court of Delhi has directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to disburse the outstanding salaries of Resident and PG Doctors of Hindu Rao Hospital and Kasturba Hospital which is pending since March 2020.
The bench comprising Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan took Suo Motu case based on media reports about the non-payment of salary to the Resident Doctors of Kasturba Hospital and Hindu Rao Hospital situated at Delhi. “Due to non-payment of salary for last three months, the resident doctors intend to either resign en masse or go on strike,” said the bench.
Advocate Akhil Mittal, Standing Counsel appearing for NDMC submitted that salaries have not been paid to the resident doctors i.e. Junior Residents, Senior Residents and PG Doctors since March, 2020 due to financial constraints.
Advocate Sanjay Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India appearing for Delhi Government submitted that the Government has already disbursed the legally payable amount to North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the month of May, 2020. Nonetheless, they are ready to disburse an additional amount for payment of salary to the resident doctors of all aforesaid six hospitals by June 18. The learned ASG further assured the Court that the amount shall be disbursed latest by June 18.
The bench after hearing the submissions of all the parties directed that “so far as payment of outstanding salary for the month of March, 2020 is concerned, the same shall be given to the Junior Residents, Senior Residents and PG doctors in their bank accounts by 5 p.m. on 19th June, 2020. So far as the outstanding payment for the month of April, 2020 is concerned, the payment shall be made to all the resident doctors on or before 5 p.m. on 24th June, 2020.”
Read the order here;
67139-2020-India Legal Bureau