New Delhi, Dec 06, 2022, IANS

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS): The Centre on Tuesday informed the Delhi High Court that it will speed up the list preparation process as per seniority, as directed by the court after hearing a plea moved by former AIIMS Director P. Venugopal alleging quid pro quo, favouritism in recruitment etc. in the All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.

The matter was heard by the division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad.

Earlier, while disposing of the matter, the court had directed Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma to prepare a seniority list, strictly in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 26 and other applicable laws.

However, the petitioner on Tuesday alleged that the list has not been prepared yet.

Noted surgeon Venugopal had approached the court by filing a PIL through senior lawyers A.D.N. Rao and Rahul Mishra.

The plea, which had sought the stand of AIIMS and the Centre on the charge that recruitment to faculty posts were being influenced by political and other considerations rather than merit, also alleged that it is having a catastrophic effect on the preservation and protection of merit at AIIMS.

"All such practices being adopted by AIIMS, while flouting and violating its own rules and norms, with impunity, is not only resulting in the dilution and destruction of merit at this institution of national importance and lowering its dignity and prestige, but also resultantly having a negative effect on the millions of hapless citizens who are dependent upon the medical treatment at AIIMS for securing their life and health," the plea had stated.

The plea also said that the authorities at AIIMS have decided to continue to act in brazen violation of the law, despite the high court's directions.