Grant of nod to med colleges; SC rejects plea on Lodha panel

New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court today rejected aplea alleging that the apex court-appointed oversight panelheaded by former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha had overshotMCI and Health Ministry’s disapprovals and allowed severalmedical colleges to admit students. A bench comprising Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Raotrashed the contention that the panel had gone beyond itsmandate of monitoring the work of Medical Council of India(MCI) and given its nod to over 100 medical colleges to startadmissions without assessing their facilities. The apex court asked Anand Rai, a doctor who had filedthe PIL, to give a representation to Justice Lodha panelinstead. Rai, who claims to be a whistle blower in the Vyapamscam, today had a tough time in the packed courtroom when thebench quizzed him to ascertin his bonafide as the petitioner. "Don’t get emotional. We just want to verify certainthings," the bench said when Rai broke down in the courtroom. The bench, after perusing the plea on the last date ofhearing, told Rai’s counsel it wanted to ask some questions. Senior advocate Parag Tripathi, appearing for Rai,referred to the role of his client in taking up causes ofpublic interest including the Vyapam scam, and said he wasguided by the interest to ensure quality medical education. "My learned Brother (Justice Rao) wants to knowsomething from Mr Rai," Justice Dave said. As the lawyer continued, the bench interneved saying "wejust wanted to know the interest of the petitioner if you(lawyer) can allow him (Rai) to come forward and answer. If hecan tell us something directly, then I don’t understand whatis the harm." The bench then asked him whether Rai knew about thedirections passed by the oversight panel in one of its orders. Rai, in his PIL, has accused the three-member oversightcommittee of over-stepping its given job of monitoring thework of Medical Council of India. (More) PTI SJK MNL RKSARC