While the Supreme Court hearing of a doctor's rape-murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital suo-motu case concluded for today, there is no explicit timeline for protesting doctors when it comes to them resuming their duties. Representing the junior doctors was Indira Jaising, while Kapil Sibal was appearing for the state government.
During the arguments, when Sibal sought a definite timeline for the doctors to return to work, Jaising said that a clear date could not be given until the doctors held a meeting with the general body of their association, as stated in a report by LiveLaw.
Further, Jaising also submitted to the bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud that the reason for the doctors' protest was the continued presence of the people who were allegedly responsible for the cover-ups at the RG Kar hospital. CJI, however, said that the court could not issue any directions for their removal as their involvement was still a matter of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The doctors, in their application, raised these demands:
1. Formation of a broad-based monitory committee in each hospital having administration, academics, nurses, doctors and other healthcare staff, and so on
2. Formulation of a confidential grievance redressal system at the hospital for the addressing of grievances of the students, doctors
3. Formation of internal complaint committees in accordance with the Sexual Harassment of Women At Workplace (Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act 2013)
4. Setting up counselling centres at every hospital with qualified professionals, particularly the psychiatric and psychology departments, to deal with the stress faced by doctors in the course of their duties
