Shimla: Acting on the writ petition challenging the Union Government decision of declining permission to the ESI Medical College, Mandi for starting MBBS course from the 2014-15 session, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the Medical Council of India (MCI), Union Government Health and Labour Ministry and the State Government and directed them to file their replies by August 14.

The petitioner alleged that the MCI had denied approval to start MBBS classes with 100 seats this session in the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College and Hospital, Ner Chowk, Mandi, while it accorded conditional approval to other colleges.

He apprised Hon’ble Court that the MCI executive committee had inspected the college in June and declined the permission after finding some deficiencies. But now all these deficiencies were removed to large extent, petitioner claimed.

The petitioner has accused MCI and the Union Government for adopting discriminatory approach in granting conditional permissions for starting MBBS courses in new medical colleges for 2014-15 as it had granted approval to others medical colleges.

The petitioner has urged the court to direct the MCI and other government authorities to grant conditional permission as had been granted to other institutions to start the MBBS classes in this session of 2014.