HC tells Delhi govt to give 2-month notice to Mohalla Clinic staff amid AAP-BJP row over Ayushman Arogya Mandirs

Mohalla Clinics at Rani Bagh, Delhi (Image: Jeetin Sharma )

The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi government to give two months' notice to the staff members of Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (AAMC) in case it proposes to terminate their services before March 31 next year, amid the row between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).

The issue comes in the wake of the recent decision to phase out mohalla clinics in areas where Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which also offer primary healthcare, are being operationalised under the new BJP government.

The high court's order came while dealing with a petition by AAMC staff, who were hired on a contractual basis by the previous Aam Aadmi Party government, seeking directions against their termination and replacement with other contractual employees.

Justice Prateek Jalan disposed of the petition with the direction, "In the event the respondents (Delhi government) propose to terminate the petitioners' engagement before March 31, 2026, on the ground that new manpower has been engaged..., they are directed to give two weeks' notice to the concerned... (staff)," the court said in its August 6 order.

The court passed a similar order on Tuesday on a plea by doctors, who were engaged on a contractual basis to work in AAMCs and their engagement was extended from time to time between 2016 to 2015, seeking to restrain the authorities from illegally terminating them.

In the present case, the petitioners are working as pharmacists, mohalla clinic assistants and multitask workers on a contractual basis in AAMC under the Delhi government. They sought directions against their termination and replacement with other contractual employees.

Advocate Amar Nath Saini, representing the staff members, submitted that there was a distinction from the case of the doctors, as some of the petitioners have been telephonically instructed not to report to duty.

The counsel for the Delhi government submitted that no decision has been taken by the authorities to dispense with the services of any of the employees of AAMC.

As of August 2023, 533 mohalla clinics were operational in Delhi.

However, at least seven have already been converted into Arogya Mandirs under the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Following a protest on May 17 by AAMC staff, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had assured that existing paramedical and support staff would be adjusted within Arogya Mandirs.