Madras High Court appreciates T.N. govt. for deciding to absorb 977 nurses appointed during COVID-19

Madras High Court appreciates Tamil Nadu government for prioritizing ad hoc nurses in filling regular vacancies during COVID-19.

The Madras High Court on Thursday recorded its appreciation for the Tamil Nadu government having accepted its suggestion to give priority to 977 nurses, appointed on ad hoc basis during the COVID-19 period, while filling the existing regular vacancies.

Second Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq directed the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services to act upon the decision taken by the State government within two weeks and report compliance before the court by February 22.

The 977 nurses had filed a joint writ petition in 2023 challenging a Government Order issued on December 30, 2022 deciding not to extend the services of 2,366 nurses who were appointed on temporary/adhoc basis in various government hospital during COVID-19 period.

A single judge of the High Court had disposed of the writ petition on July 12, 2023 with a direction to the State government to absorb the writ petitioners in permanent vacancies within six weeks. However, the State filed the present writ appeal challenging the single judge’s order.

When the appeal was heard on Tuesday, the Bench led by Justice Mahadevan asked the government consider the plea of the 977 writ petitioners favourably considering the fact that they had joined in service and served during the crucial juncture of COVID-19.

Accordingly, the government reverted stating that the Health Secretary had written to the DMRHS on Wednesday to give preference to the 977 writ petitioners while filling the vacancies and then fill the other vacancies from among the rest of 1,389 temporary nurses.

The judges also recorded the government’s submission that the petitioners would be absorbed in the vacancies subject to seniority, merit and communal roster.