IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.11914 of 2002 ANUPAM KUMAR & ORS Versus THE UNION OF INDIA & ORS ----------- 3/ 23/01/2009. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the State. The petitioners, who are graduates of the Bihar Veterinary College, Patna commencing for the session- 1995-1996, are aggrieved by the action of the respondent Bihar Veterinary Council in not granting them registration, to enable them to practice the profession as such which is mandatory. It is submitted that the petitioners having completed the course in the year-2000 have also completed the six months’ internship training programme and have been awarded the necessary internship award certificate. The being the students of the batch commencing in 1995-1996, any amendment of the Indian Veterinary Act, 1984 by the State Government in its application to the State of Bihar by promulgation of the Bihar Veterinary Rules,1998(dated 2.9.1998) requiring registration with the Council prior to commencement of internship under Rule-49 shall not apply to the petitioners. Learned counsel for the State urged that after promulgation of the Rules in 1998 such registration 2 with the Bihar Veterinary Council before commencement of internship was necessary. In fact, petitioners-1 and 3 never applied for such registration at any point of time. The completion of the degree course and the internship programme by the petitioners is not an issue in dispute by the respondents. The petitioners being students of the 1995- 1996 batch, before promulgation of the now Rules in 1998 by the Bihar Amendment, this Court finds it difficult to give the same any retrospective effect so as to prejudice the petitioners. The Rules do not provide and neither does Rule-49 say that even those who had completed their course in Veterinary Science before the promulgation of the Rules would also be governed by it. The amendment is stated to be prospective with its operation. The Court, therefore, holds that the Rules framed by the State Government shall be prospective in their application from 1998 only with regard to those who may join the course after commencement of the Rule. The respondent Bihar Veterinary Council is, therefore, directed to grant necessary registration to the petitioners. At this stage learned counsel for the petitioners 3 submits that counseling for appointment of veterinary doctors is scheduled to commence in February, 2009. The respondents are directed to grant the registration certificate to the petitioners at the earliest, without unnecessary delay upon presentation of a certified copy of this order so that the right of the petitioners to be considered for such counseling is not frustrated due to the action of the respondents. The writ application stands allowed. KC ( Navin Sinha, J.)