The Madras High Court has restrained the Tamil Nadu Health department from filling up the vacancies in faculty posts in the Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College here and in the International Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy Medical Sciences in neighbouring Chengalpattu.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu granted the interim injunction while admitting a writ petition from the All India Yoga, Naturopathy Post Graduate (MD) Doctors Association, by its president Dr S Ashok Kumar and two others, recently. 

The PIL sought to declare Rule 5 (b) of the ad hoc rules framed by the Health Department through a GO dated July 27 this year as ultra vires of the ones framed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2018.

The minimum qualification prescribed for the posts of principal, professors and assistant professors in these colleges is postgraduate, as per the UGC regulations. Whereas the ad hoc rules paved the way for the recruitment of persons holding an undergraduate degree.

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The ad hoc rules are arbitrary as they would create inequality in comparison to other appointments in Siddha, Ayurvedha, Unani and Homeopathy Government Colleges and for promotions to higher posts, for which the candidates should possess PG degree, petitioner contended.

As the government prayed for time to file its counter, the judges posted the matter for further hearing on November 10. Till then no efforts shall be made to fill up the vacancies, the bench said.