Full Judgment Text
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION (C) NO.527 OF 2011
TRAINED NURSES ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
... PETITIONER(S)
VS.
UNION OF INDIA & ORS. ... RESPONDENT(S)
J U D G M E N T
ANIL R. DAVE, J.
1. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner-
Association, the learned Additional Solicitor General
appearing on behalf of the Union of India, the learned
counsel appearing on behalf of Respondent No.37, i.e.,
Indian Nursing Council and other learned counsel appearing
for different States.
2. The petitioner-Association has ventilated its
grievance with regard to the working conditions of nurses
JUDGMENT
in private hospitals and nursing homes. The prayers made
in this petition read as under :
“a) issue guidelines for improving the
working condition of nurses in
hospitals/nursing homes;
b) direct all the respondents to adhere to
the guidelines/rules framed by this
Hon'ble Court till necessary legislation
is made by the Parliament/State
Legislative Assemblies;
c) issue necessary directions to ensure that
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nurses working in the private sector are
paid salary equivalent to those working
in Government hospitals;
d) issue necessary directions to the
respondents to take appropriate action
against hospitals/nursing homes insisting
on bond from nurses working in their
establishments;
e) issue a declaration that the bond system
practiced by hospitals/nursing homes is
unconstitutional and illegal;
st
f) issue appropriate directions to 1
respondent to frame necessary guidelines
to improve working conditions of nurses
in India;
g) pass any other/further order(s) as this
Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in
the facts and circumstances of this case
to meet the ends of justice.”
3. Upon hearing the learned counsel and going through
the petition, we feel that the nurses who are working in
private hospitals and nursing homes are not being treated
fairly in the matter of their service conditions and pay.
4. We expect that the Central government will look into
the grievances ventilated in this petition, by forming a
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Committee within four months from today. We are sure that
after examining the factual situation, if the Committee is
of the view that the grievances ventilated in the petition
are correct, the Committee will make its recommendations,
so as to do the needful for improvement of working
conditions and pay of the nurses working in private
hospitals and nursing homes within six months from its
constitution, which can ultima`tely be given a form of
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legislation by the respondent-States or by the Central
Government itself.
5. We are sure that the recommendations of the Committee
shall be duly considered by the Central Government and it
shall do the needful.
6. We do not propose to give any guidelines, as prayed
for in this petition, as the grievances are to be looked
into by the Committee consisting of experts.
7. So far as the grievance, with regard to system of
execution of bonds by private hospitals and nursing homes,
is concerned, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of
Indian Nursing Council has submitted that the said system
has now been abolished. Therefore, the said grievance does
not survive.
8. With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition
stands disposed of.
..............J.
[ANIL R. DAVE]
JUDGMENT
.................J.
[SHIVA KIRTI SINGH]
................J.
[ADARSH KUMAR GOEL]
New Delhi;
th
29 January, 2016.
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