SC declines to modify its order in Nagaland COVID-era doctors’ regularisation case

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 8

The Supreme Court on September 7 declined to recall, modify or vary its January 16, 2026 order in the case concerning the regularisation of COVID-era medical officers in Nagaland, rejecting an application that had sought relief on three separate grounds, including consideration for appointment on parity with 98 doctors already regularised by the State.

A Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a Special Leave Petition (Civil) arising from the December 11, 2025 judgment of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench (GHCKB).

The latest proceedings arose from an application seeking to reopen the Supreme Court’s January 16 order, in which the apex court had made clear that “the present claim of the petitioners will have no bearing on the appointments already made by the State.” Subsequently, the State Health Department had maintained that the apex court had upheld the regularisation.

The applicants first sought recall of that order.

As a second and separate prayer, the petitioners sought a direction that they be considered at parity with the 98 Medical Officers regularised under the State’s Special Recruitment Drive (SRD), citing equivalent COVID-19 service and fulfilment of the required COVID-duty conditions.

Alternatively, the petitioners sought a direction to the State to apply the same standard uniformly to all similarly situated Medical Officers who had rendered equivalent COVID-19 service and not discriminate against them on the basis of cessation of contractual service.

They contended that there was no express policy condition warranting such discrimination, particularly as no COVID-19 emergency was in force when the SRD was conducted in August 2024.

After hearing the parties, the Bench recorded that it was “not inclined to recall, modify or vary” the January 16 order and accordingly rejected the application.

The main issue, however, remains legally contested and has been listed for September 21, 2026.

The SLP challenges the December 11, 2025 GHCKB Division Bench’s judgment, which had found no infirmity in the earlier Single Judge’s dismissal of challenges to the State’s SRD.

The Division Bench then had permitted the State to proceed with the regularisation if it had not already been completed.