The Supreme Court imposed a ₹10 lakh fine on the National Medical Commission (NMC) for its conduct in a prolonged legal battle with KMCT Medical College over seat expansion. The NMC was criticized for forcing the college to shuttle between courts, despite the institution’s longstanding operation of 18 years.
The case stemmed from NMC’s appeal against a Kerala High Court decision that allowed KMCT Medical College to increase its seats from 150 to 250, contingent on an undertaking. Initially approved by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) for the 2023-24 academic year, the approval was retracted in April 2024. The NMC later denied permission in June, citing the college’s failure to submit a consent of affiliation (COA) and the ongoing High Court proceedings.
However, the top court was not impressed by the NMC’s stance, pointing out that the COA had already been granted by August 12, 2024, and any concerns could have been resolved earlier by approaching the High Court.
The justices firmly stated, “The NMC’s actions amount to harassment and abuse of the legal process.” The Supreme Court dismissed the NMC’s petitions and ordered the ₹10 lakh cost to be split, with ₹5 lakh directed to the Supreme Court Bar Association Welfare Fund and ₹5 lakh to the Supreme Court Advocate-on-Record Association’s library.
This rebuke sends a strong message about fair litigation practices, particularly for government bodies.
