Khambata stymies move

Advocate General Darius Khambata has made it clear that the Government of Maharashtra must seek permission from the center before permitting homeopaths to practice allopathy if they completed a year-long course prescribed by the Maharashtra University of Health Science. A report in Mumbai Mirror (MM) dated May 13, 2014, mentions the state government, which mooted the resolution in January 2014, was in a rush to pass this proposal before state assembly elections.

A large number of homeopaths had demonstrated at Azad Maidan demanding the privilege, notes MM, and the Medical Council (MCI) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) had opposed the government’s proposal. The Associations are waiting for the government’s notification so that they can move the courts, reported MM. According to the MCI, guidelines formulated in 1956 do not permit any medical course to be initiated without prior permission from them and the union government. "Khambata has reservation about the proposal. He will now submit a report to us,” chief secretary J. S. Saharia told the newspaper.