2012 Supreme(Raj) 128
[Citation : 2012(2) RLW 1853 (SC)]
(Supreme Court)
R.P. Bagaria Vs. Pharmacy Council of State of Raj. (Gokhale, J.)
HON'BLE P. SATHASIVAM, J.
HON'BLE H.L. GOKHALE, J.
Rajendra Prasad Bagaria
Versus
Pharmacy Council of State of Rajasthan & Anr.
Civil Appeal No. 6895 of 2008, decided on 06.02.2012
M/s. A.P. & J. Chambers, for Appellant;
M.C. Dhingra, for Respondents
Headnote:Pharmacy Act, 1948, Sec. 32, 33, 36 — Registered pharmacist — After giving notice his name was removed from register — Appellant registered in transferee State on the basis of registration of appellant in other state — On complaint, after inquiry transferee state removed the name of appellant from its register — Held — Such action does not amount to review the decision of another council — Such scrutiny is permissible at the time of initial registration and also later when complainants are received. (Paras 11 & 13)
Appeal dismissed.
Hks"kth vf/kfu;e] 1948] /kkjk 32] 33] 36 & iaftd`r Hks"kt fuekZrk & uksfVl nsus ds ckn mldk uke jftLVj ls gVk;k x;k & nwljs jkT; esa vihykFkhZ ds iaft;u ds vk/kkj ij vUrfjfr jkT; esa vihykFkhZ us iaft;u djk;k & ifjokn ij vUrfjfr jkT; us tkap ds i'pkr~ vius jftLVj ls vihykFkhZ dk uke gVk;k & vfHkfu/kkZfjr & ,slh dk;Zokgh vU; ifj"kn ds fu.kZ; ds iqufoZyksdu dh Js.kh esa ugha vkrh &,slh laoh{kk iaft;u ds vkjfEHkd le; rFkk i'pkr~orhZ voLFkk esa vuqKs; gksrh gS] tc ifjokn izkIr gksrs gSA
vihy [kkfjt dhA ¼in la[;k 11 o 13½
Short facts leading to this appeal are as follows:-
2. The appellant claims that after passing the Secondary School Examination in 1986, he worked in a Medical Store named as 'Todi Medicals' at Sikar in the state of Rajasthan from October 1991 to March 1997. It is his case that though on the basis of his experience, he was otherwise eligible to be enrolled as a pharmacist in Rajasthan, he could not get so enrolled since by the time he could apply, the registration of pharmacists in Rajasthan was closed. He claims that thereafter he shifted to Sikkim in August, 2001, where he worked for about two months in a medical store at Gangtok. On the basis of the certificate issued by his employer in Sikkim, he applied for registration as a pharmacist with the Sikkim State Pharmacy Tribunal (Sikkim Tribunal for short), and he was so registered over there on 5.12.2001.
3. The purpose of his sojourn to Sikkim having been achieved, the appellant returned to Kherli in the State of Rajasthan towards the beginning of January 2002. On the basis of this registration from Sikkim, he applied on 8.4.2002 for his registration with the Pharmacy Council of the State of Rajasthan (respondent No.1 herein – 'Rajasthan Council' for short) under Section 32 of The Pharmacy Act, 1948 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act').
4. It is the further case of the appellant that the Rajasthan Council made necessary enquiries with the Sikkim Tribunal, and thereafter enrolled him as a registered pharmacist by their registration certificate dated 4.6.2002. It however, appears that some complaints were received by the Government of Rajasthan (respondent No.2) with respect to functioning of a large number of ineligible pharmacists in the State. Consequently, on being informed about the same, the Rajasthan Council decided to look into such cases. On 22.7.2004, a notice was issued by the first respondent to the appellant informing him that Enquiry Committee constituted by the Rajasthan Council had found his Regis-tration to be irregular, and therefore, he should appear before the Executive Committee of the Council on 2.8.2004, to explain as to why his name should not be removed from the Register of Pharmacists of Rajasthan by invoking its powers under Sec. 36 of the Act. The appellant did not care either to reply, or to remain present before the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, therefore, considered the material on record, and took the decision to cancel his registration. This decision was approved by the Full Council on 16.3.2005 and the appellant was informed to surrender his certificate of registration by the Council by its further communication dated 12.4.2005.
5. The appellant filed a Writ Petition to challenge this decision of the first respondent. The said Writ Petition bearing No. 4309/2005 was heard by a Single Judge of the Rajasthan High Court. The appellant did not dispute the fact that he did not appear before the Executive Committee, nor did he dispute any of the aforesaid facts. The learned Single Judge accepted the submission of the respondents that the appellant had an alternative remedy to file an appeal under section 36(4) of the Act which he had not exhausted. That apart, he also noted that though the appellant was given an opportunity of personal hearing by the Executive Committee, he did not place any convincing proof of his registration having been done as per provisions of the Act by the Sikkim Tribunal. The learned Single Judge also noted that no such documents were produced before him also, which would indicate that the appellant had acquired necessary experience in Sikkim, before obtaining the registratio