Orissa HC adjourns final hearing on pleas of on-campus medicine stores in govt hospitals

The Orissa High Court on Tuesday adjourned the final hearing on the pleas of on-campus medicine stores in government hospitals. Seeking intervention against eviction, at least 59 owners of on-campus medicine stores in government hospitals, DHHs, SDHs, and CHCs had knocked on the door of the High Court.

According to a report of Indian Express, the division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho, while hearing the case, said the order for maintenance of status quo with regard to the operating of the shops shall continue. The bench expected the government to file a counter affidavit and be ready for the final hearing.

The status quo was issued on the pleas of the 59 medicine shop owners in the form of writ appeals against the order issued by a single judge bench declining interference in the state government’s decision to not extend their licence.

Worth mentioning, the state Health and Family Welfare department had notified the decision to not extend the licences or issue new licences for on-campus medicine stores in lieu of implementation of ‘Nirmaya Scheme’.

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The division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho has also directed the petitioners to file their rejoinders before the final hearing without seeking further adjournments.