Orissa High Court warns DMET of contempt proceedings, hands 7-day deadline

The Orissa High Court on Friday directed the Odisha Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Santosh Kumar Mishra, to comply with its order within seven days or face contempt proceedings.

The warning pertains to the DMET’s failure to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Smruti Snigdha Sahoo, a government doctor seeking to pursue a fellowship, despite a prior court directive.

Court Issues Ultimatum, Stern Warning

According to the ruling, Justice Aditya Kumar Mohapatra ordered the DMET to implement the court’s March 20, 2025, ruling within a week.

The March order had directed the DMET to process Sahoo’s NOC application within 10 days, enabling her to join a one-year Musculoskeletal Radiology fellowship at Coimbatore’s Ganga Hospital starting April 1. However, the DMET failed to do the same within the deadline.

Subsequently, Sahoo filed another petition, prompting the court’s stern response and warnings of contempt proceedings.

“Dr. Santosh Kumar Mishra is directed to implement the HC order within seven days, failing which he shall appear before this court to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated,” Justice Mohapatra stated.

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Case Background:

Smruti Snigdha Sahoo, a senior resident in Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital’s radiology department, applied for the NOC after being selected for the fellowship on March 10. 

When the DMET withheld the certificate without explanation, she approached the High Court. Despite the court’s initial March 20 order, the DMET took no action, jeopardising her enrollment in the program.

DMET’s Silence Draws HC Ire

During Friday’s hearing, the DMET’s legal counsel, SK Parhi, admitted to having ‘no instructions’ on the matter. The court criticised this non-responsive stance, emphasising the urgency of compliance. Further, Advocate Avijit Mishra, representing Sahoo, highlighted the career implications of further delays.

Fellowship at Risk

The fellowship, critical to Sahoo’s specialisation, began on April 1. However, the DMET’s inaction has left her unable to join, undermining both her professional growth and patient care prospects in a high-demand medical field.

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If the DMET fails to act by the seven-day deadline, DMET’s director, Santosh Kumar Mishra, must personally appear in court on April 25.