2018 Supreme(Ker) 164
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
K.VINOD CHANDRAN, ASHOK MENON, JJ.
K.P. Usman – Petitioner
Vs.
The Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Government Secretariat – Respondents
W.P. (C).No.39891 of 2017-J
Decided On : 23-03-2018
For the Petitioner: Sri. A.X. Varghese Sri. A.V. JOJO
For the Respondents: Sr. Government Pleader Sri. P.P. Thajudeen., Sri. N. Nagaresh, Assistant Solicitor General
Headnote:Homoeopathy Central Council Act 1973, S. 15(3) (c) - If the state government is not having the register or not maintained with the register then the impostors cannot be slacked to the practice of medicine as in the technical ground
Vinod Chandran, J.
The petitioner claims to be a Homeopath, practicing the system of medicine continuously and regularly in the erstwhile Malabar region. The petitioner relies on Exhibits P1 and P2 certificates to further his case. The petitioner also has produced a certificate at Exhibit P3 dated 01.05.1976, wherein it is certified that he has undergone home-study course in Homeopathy and Biochemistry and passed the examination held in April, 1976. The petitioner relies on Exhibits P4 to P6 judgments and places special reliance on Exhibit P6 and argues that the Division Bench judgment binds this Court insofar as the declaration made. The petitioner also relies on Section 15(3)(c) of the Homeopathy Central Council Act, 1973, which reads as under:
“the right of a person to practice Homeopathy in a State in which on the commencement of this Act, a State Register of Homeopathy is not maintained if, on such commencement, he has been practicing Homeopathy for not less than five years”.
2. The additional 5th respondent, who was impleaded on our specific directions has filed a detailed counter affidavit. They contend that they have been requesting the State Government to bring in appropriate enactment to have a list of persons who are entitled to practice Homeopathy, referable to any person who has been practicing for five years prior to 1973. Exhibit P-4 is a decision of the year 1987, wherein this Court noticed the submission of the State that a unified Kerala Medical Practitioners Bill is un der consideration. Exhibit P-5 in the year 1992, reiterated what was stated in 1987. Exhibit P-6 is a judgment of the year 2006. Therein it was once again noticed that for the Travancore-Cochin area, there is a Register maintained under Section 23(1)(2) of the Travancore-Cochin Medical Practitioners Act, 1953; but in Malabar area the said enactment was and is not applicable. There was a specific direction in the aforesaid judgment, relying on an earlier judgment of another Division Bench in K.H.M.G. Assn. v. State of Kerala [(2005 (3) KLT 620]. That was a public interest litigation filed by an association of qualified Homeopaths, against permitting unqualified persons from practicing Homeopathy. The extracted portion therein is again extracted by us, since we cannot but notice that the Government has been alarmingly lethargic in taking steps to further the intention of having a unified legislation for the last more than three decades:
“Taking into account the entire facts, we are of the view that there are sufficient justifications for exempting those category of persons. Petitioners have not established in what manner they have been discriminated. Further, it is stated by the Government Pleader that the State Government is intending to bring a suitable legislation covering all aspects of medical practice. The Kerala Medical Practitioners Bill, 1996 has been taken with the Central Government for getting prior clearance for introducing the bill in the State Legislature. As and when the proposed legislation is enacted the entire scenario in respect of the dispute regarding the medical practitioners will be cleared of all doubts and misconceptions. We are of the view that if petitioners have got a case that anybody is violating the express provisions of the Central Act as well as the State Act, it is always open to them to point out the same before the Government and in such an event, the Government shall take appropriate action. Counsel however, brought to our notice that Ext.P19 representation has already been filed by the petitioner before the Government. The Government shall take note of the grievance of the petitioners and take appropriate remedial measure”.
The petitioner prays for a similar order of status-quo till an enactment is brought in and a Register commenced and maintained by the State Government.
3. We are not convinced that a similar order can be passed at this distance of time, merely for reason of the lethargy on the part o