Imphal, December 02 2010: The Gauhati High Court Imphal Bench today, in a hearing to a case filed against appointment of Dr S Sekhar as director of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), directed the Union ministry of Health and Family Welfare and RIMS authority to submit "counter affidavits" while fixing the next hearing on January 20 next year.

Dr Ch Tomcha, head of Radiotherapy filed the civil writ petition against the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and RIMS director challenging the appointment of Dr Sekhar as director of RIMS stating he is not qualified for the post.

The hearing of the petition was held today in the court of Justice PK Katakey.

The petitioner through his counsel advocate N Mohendro stated that the new director of the RIMS was appointed in accordance with the advertisement No.u-12025/18/2009 of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Department.

As per the said advertisement, the qualification for the post of the director should have at least 14 years of teaching and research experience and should have served as a full-fledged professor for at least five years.

Dr Sekhar of RIMS Urology Department who does not meet these qualifications was appointed as director by an order issued on September 14 of this year, the counsel informed the court.

Dr Sekhar is not a full-fledged professor and hence he is not qualified for the post.

At the time of issue of the appointment order.

Under what competent authority was this appointment made has not made clear.

There is a lack of transparency in the appointment of Dr Sekhar as RIMS director, the counsel observed.

The counsel further prayed the court to direct the respondents of the case to cancel the appointment order of Dr Sekhar and select one of the qualified candidates who had applied for the post.

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