Puducherry Government Medical Officers Association urges govt. to fill post of Director of Health based on inter se seniority

The post of Director in the Health Department has been vacant over the last one-and-a-half months.

The Puducherry Government Medical Officers Association (PGMOA) has urged the Puducherry Government to fill the post of Director of Health and Family Welfare Services based on inter se/ combined seniority, in accordance with the relevant service rules and judgments of the apex court.

In a statement, Dr. Anbusenthil, president of the association said the post of Director in the Health Department has been vacant over the last one-and-a-half months.

“It has come to our attention that several conflicting presentations regarding the legal position have been made by certain specialists with vested interests. These presentations aim to create a perception that the Director post is exclusively reserved for specialists, leading to disharmony and an impasse in the selection process, thereby disrupting the smooth functioning of the government,” he said.

Pointing out that Puducherry Health Services comprises of two sub-cadres of doctors - General Duty Medical Officers and Specialists, the association said that both the sub-cadres are governed by the Puducherry Health Service Rules, 1998.

The rules mandate that the selection for the post of Director should be based on a combined seniority list of specialists and GDMOs who have reached the same pay level.

Hence, the selection of Director of Health and Family Welfare Services in Puducherry should be based on inter se and combined seniority of Specialists and GDMOs. The selection should be made in accordance with the relevant service rules to resolve the prevailing disharmony in the department, PGMOA said.

Published - September 29, 2024 12:09 pm IST