MCI Bill passed in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Medical Council of India (Amendment) Bill without discussion as members were busy staging protests demanding more hike in their salaries.
The MCI Bill entails reconstitution of the Council within one year from the date of its replacement. Until then a board of governors will exercise the powers and perform the council's functions.
The Bill deems that the MCI shall stand superseded and the president, vice-president and other members shall vacate their offices without any claim for compensation.
An earlier version of the Bill to amend the Medical Council of India Act was rejected by a parliamentary standing committee in 2007.
Reacting strongly against the passage of the bill without discussion, the BJP MP, Ms Maneka Gandhi, termed it as the government's attempt to take over the powers of the council.
"The MCI is an elected body, for one person's involvement in bribery the whole body cannot be dissolved," Ms Gandhi said, referring to the former MCI head, Mr Ketan Desai, who was arrested on charges of corruption.
"This is the government's attempt to take the MCI's powers," she alleged.
Sources from the government, however, say that the Bill was passed in a hurry as the time of the ordinance was lapsing.
"The ordinance is about to expire. If it had lapsed, Mr Desai would have been back. We did not want this to happen," a source said.
"Time was allotted for discussion but the members continued agitating," he added.
The ordinance, passed in May, would have lapsed in November, before the Winter Session of Parliament. It was hence necessary for the government to pass the Bill in the ongoing Monsoon Session.
The Medical Council of India was dissolved May 15 through an ordinance tbat established a board of governors to handle the affairs of the council for one year.
The MCI has among its functions registering medical practitioners, monitoring and giving recognition to medical colleges, and giving degrees to doctors.
Even as the Bill becomes an issue, the health ministry is preparing a separate Bill to create the National Council for Human Resource in Health after which the Medical Council is likely to have only registration of doctors in its prerogative.
Comments
Sir, I wellcome the decision
prof Aski
23 Aug 2010 - 12:13
Sir, I wellcome the decision of Parliament in passing the MCI bill, I hope existing governors body doing best for nation because, very great global visionary eminent Dr Sarin also others, will not yield to pressure /corruption, they will brings natural justice to all people.
Sir, I wellcome govt of India
dr prabhu
21 Aug 2010 - 08:29
Sir, I wellcome govt of India parlimentary decision in passing th MCI bill. However, new regulatary body should not have only one type of component.
Can the govt say with an
m.m.nagar
20 Aug 2010 - 22:06
Can the govt say with an affadavit in hon'ble Supreme Court of India that present board and future MCI shall be free of corrupt practices. The govt. & CBI has acted partially against complaints and evidence sent to them regarding grant of permission to some of the private medical colleges and it's officials.
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