HC halts appointment of RSAHC chairperson over qualification concerns

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday put on hold the appointment of Rajasthan State Allied and Healthcare Council (RSAHC) chairperson, Dr S S Yadav. This decision followed a petition by Rajasthan Chartered Association of Physiotherapy secretary Sunita Sharma.
The petition contested the appointment of Dr Yadav, a retired senior professor of urology from SMS Medical College, on the ground that Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, mandates that the chairperson should have relevant qualifications and at least 25 years of experience in allied and healthcare sciences.
Her counsel pointed out in court that the appointment defies the rules of the 2021 Act, which specifies that the chairperson must hold a postgraduate degree in any recognised category of allied and healthcare sciences from a university and possess at least 25 years of experience in the field. Additionally, the candidate should have held a leadership role in allied and healthcare professions for at least ten years.
"Dr Yadav, being a urologist, does not meet these criteria," petitioner's counsel, Ram Pratap Saini told the court.
Petitioner Sharma contested the state govt notification dated Aug 30, which announced Dr Yadav's appointment, and informed the court that Dr Yadav has not yet taken up the position.
According to the petitioner, Dr Yadav's background in urology does not meet these stipulated requirements. She argued that the health department ignored these rules while appointing Dr Yadav as the RSAHC chairperson.
The single bench of Justice Sudesh Bansal, after hearing the arguments, issued notices to the secretary of National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions, additional chief secretary (health), principal secretary (law department), and Dr Yadav.