In a significant ruling on February 12, the Supreme Court of India overturned the appointment of Dr. Anil Khurana as the chairperson of the National Commission for Homeopathy. Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan presided over the civil appeal, which contended that Dr. Khurana’s appointment did not adhere to legal standards.
The court mandated Dr. Khurana to vacate his position within one week, emphasizing that he should abstain from making any policy decisions involving finances during this period. The justices stated, “The Respondent shall step down from the office of Chairperson forthwith. By forthwith, we mean a week from today to enable him to complete his assignment, however without taking any policy decision involved with finances.”
This judicial review was initiated following a writ petition filed in the Karnataka High Court, which challenged Dr. Khurana’s qualifications for the role as outlined under the National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020. The Act requires that the Chairperson have a minimum of twenty years of experience in homeopathy, including at least ten years in a significant leadership role within the field.
Justice N.S. Sanjay Gowda of the Karnataka High Court initially ruled in favor of upholding Dr. K.R. Janardanan Nair’s appointment while questioning Dr. Khurana’s credentials, based on the specified criteria. The Supreme Court’s decision aligns with Justice Gowda’s initial judgment, specifically noting that Dr. Khurana only fulfilled the leadership requirement for approximately four years.
