HC dismisses NMSA plea against Covid MOs’ regularization, says H&FW dept

The Directorate of Health & Family Welfare has clarified that the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, in its order dated August 1, 2025, dismissed the writ petitions filed by the Nagaland Medical Students Association (NMSA) challenging the State government’s policy decision to conduct a special recruitment drive (SRD) for medical officers who had served during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, principal director Health & Family Welfare Dr. Mereninla Senlem said that the High Court, in WP(C)/239/2024 and WP(C)/187/2024, held that the petitioners had no locus standi to challenge the government’s policy decision as they were not “aggrieved persons” and had failed to make out a case warranting interference of the court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. Consequently, the interim order dated November 21, 2024, which had suspended the SRD, stood vacated.
In compliance with the High Court’s ruling, the department said it has initiated the process of regularisation of 98 COVID-19 appointed medical officers through the Departmental Screening Committee as a one-time dispensation under SRD in pursuance to notification dated August 18, 2025.
The department further informed that since the petitioners have already filed an appeal before the High Court, the matter remains sub judice. It therefore termed any form of agitation as “unwarranted.”