THE HON’BLE SRI BILAL NAZKI, THE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE RAMESH RANGANATHAN WRIT PETITION NO.25954 OF 2007 O R D E R: (Per Hon’ble Sri Bilal Nazki, the Acting Chief Justice) Heard the learned Counsel for the writ petitioner as well as the learned Advocate General appearing for the respondents. This is a case initiated in public interest as a result of the strike resorted to by the junior doctors in the State. The junior doctors were later on, at one stage, joined by the Government doctors as well and certain orders were passed by this Court to ensure that the patients’ care is not compromised with. We have pleasure in recording that even during the strike, security and staff was provided by the Government ensuring that atleast minimum medical facilities were available to the people, who depend on the services provided by the Government. During the course of these proceedings, certain developments took place and one such development was that, on the demand of the junior doctors, an ordinance has been passed by the Government, by which, punishment would be imposed on the persons, who attack the doctors while they are on duty. We have perused the Medical Regulations and also the judgment dated 23-08-2005 passed by this Court in W.P.Nos.13604 and 15524 of 2005. It is admitted position of parties that the doctors, whether regularly appointed or on stipend by the Government, and the doctors, who are pursuing their courses of Post Graduation, whether in public sector or in private sector, have no right to go on strike, and in case they fail to provide the medical attention to the persons to whom they are supposed to, their degrees are liable to be deregistered by the Medical Council of India/State Council. Therefore, whether in provocation or in certain circumstances, the doctors have no right either to abstain from work or to refuse treatment to the patients and the only remedy provided to deal with such doctors is deregistration of their degrees by Medical Council of India and State Medical Council. The State Government, which is the biggest employer of the doctors, is not equipped with any Law, which would take care of such eventualities. But the learned Advocate General has assured this Court that the State Government is contemplating to address this issue as well. At one stage, we had directed the Registrar General of this Court to visit certain hospitals to see as to what facilities are being provided by the State Government to the patients. The Registrar General had filed a report and a copy of it has been given to the learned Advocate General. We hope that this report shall also be taken note of by the State Government, and if any remedial measures are required, they shall be taken up. In this view of the matter, we do not think that any further orders are needed to be passed by this Court. We also sincerely hope that no occasion would arise in future for this Court to deal with such a matter. Writ Petition is disposed of with these directions. On 12-12-2007, a show cause notice was issued, as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated against the members of the A.P.Junior Doctors’ Association for showing disrespect to the Court, and an apology affidavit has been filed by them. In view the facts that the members of the A.P.Junior Doctors’ Association are at the threshold of their career, and they are young doctors and that it takes a lot of effort of a poor Indian to produce one doctor, we would not be happy to spoil the career of any such person. Therefore, the apology tendered by them is accepted and the matter with regard to the initiation of Contempt proceedings against them is closed. _______________________ (Bilal Nazki, ACJ) Dated 24th December, 2007 _______________________ (Ramesh Ranganathan, J) lur