‘Even If One Patient Dies…’: Bombay HC Pulls Up Protesting Doctors, Orders To Call Off Strike

Published 6 August 2026 · health

News india ‘Even If One Patient Dies…’: Bombay HC Pulls Up Protesting Doctors, Orders To Call Off Strike ‘Even If One Patient Dies…’: Bombay HC

News india ‘Even If One Patient Dies…’: Bombay HC Pulls Up Protesting Doctors, Orders To Call Off Strike ‘Even If One Patient Dies…’: Bombay HC Pulls Up Protesting Doctors, Orders To Call Off Strike Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 14:45 IST The High Court warned that doctors could face consequences if they refused to resume duty. Rapid Read Bombay High Court (Representational image) Maharashtra Doctors’ Strike: The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed concern over disruption in medical facilities due to the ongoing doctors’ protest in Maharashtra against homeopathy registration and directed protesting doctors in the state to call off their strike immediately and return to work. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad took suo motu cognisance after government hospitals across Maharashtra witnessed severe disruption in healthcare services due to the strike and questioned the consequences of doctors stopping work, particularly emergency and intensive care services. Raising concern over doctors threatening to suspend emergency services if the impasse continued, the bench said it was “pained" by the doctors’ protest and initiated a suo motu writ petition based on news reports of August 5 and 6 over the doctors’ strike, news agency IANS reported.

“We are pained by the fact that practicing doctors have resorted to a strike. We have read in the newspaper today that they have said, we will not even take care of ICU patients," Acting CJ Ghuge orally remarked. “If even one patient dies in municipal hospitals during the strike, who will take responsibility?" it asked. The High Court directed the protesting doctors to withdraw the strike and resume work after the lunch break. The court also assured the doctors that their concerns would be heard. The bench warned that doctors could face consequences if they refused to resume duty. The Indian Medical Association’s counsel subsequently assured the High Court that the doctors were calling off the strike. The High Court also issued notices to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), the IMA and the state Medical Education Department. Why Doctors Are Protesting? The strike was called to protest the Maharashtra government’s decision to allow qualified homoeopathy practitioners to prescribe modern medicines after completing a one-year certificate course in modern pharmacology.

The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) on Tuesday night began registering practitioners who have completed the BHMS–Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), enabling them to prescribe allopathic medicines under the state’s framework. The move follows a government resolution mandating the council to commence registrations. The IMA opposed the move, arguing that homoeopathy practitioners should not be given the right to practise allopathy. The policy led to protests by resident doctors and several medical associations across Maharashtra. Disruptions Across Hospitals The strike had affected routine healthcare services at government hospitals across the state, including outpatient departments, elective surgeries, laboratory services and routine inpatient care. Around 12,000 junior doctors across Maharashtra, including more than 2,000 doctors from BMC-run medical colleges in Mumbai, were reported to have participated in the protest. Hospitals had deployed senior doctors, professors and interns to maintain essential services during the strike. The IMA had also warned that the issue could be escalated into a nationwide protest involving doctors and medical students if the Maharashtra government did not withdraw the policy.