Punjab and Haryana High Court, on a petition filed by the GMCH-32 Chandigarh, issued notice and passed interim directions in the matter concerning the contractual employment of Staff Nurses in GCMH-32 who had been directed to be retained on contract basis by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh vide its order dated 06.02.2023.

Noting the contentions of the Sh. Anil Mehta, Senior Standing Counsel U.T. Chandigarh and Ms. Aashna Gill, Junior Panel Counsel, the Hon’ble Court directed that the contractual Staff Nurses would continue in employment only till such time as those regularly selected candidates do not submit their joining. It was noticed that the hospital was already in the process of joining regularly selected candidates and 118 had joined till date.

Noting the contentions of the Sh. Anil Mehta, Senior Standing Counsel U.T. Chandigarh and Ms. Aashna Gill, Junior Panel Counsel, the Hon’ble Court directed that the contractual Staff Nurses would continue in employment only till such time as those regularly selected candidates do not submit their joining. It was noticed that the hospital was already in the process of joining regularly selected candidates and 118 had joined till date.

The GMCH-32 had issued public notice advertising 182 posts of Staff Nurses (Nursing Officer) on regular basis in November 2021 while terminating the contract of contractual Staff Nurses.

These Staff Nurses applied for regular appointments under the advertisement however, 36 of the Staff Nurses who remained unsuccessful in the written examination moved the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench seeking relief from termination of their contractual employment, which was finally disposed of where the CAT Chandigarh directed the GMCH-32 to retain the contractual Staff Nurses while allowing the hospital to continue with appointment of staff nurses on regular basis.