DEEPAK GUPTA,J. - (1.) By means of this writ petition the petitioner no.1 Society which claims to represent a large number of educational institutions including medical colleges running post­graduate (P.G.) medical courses, has prayed that this Court may grant extension of time to respective medical colleges/deemed universities for carrying out counselling for P.G. courses since large number of seats in these colleges are lying vacant.
(2.) Shri Maninder Singh, learned senior counsel for the petitioners urges that these colleges have spent a huge amount of money on the infrastructure of the colleges. He submits that there is an acute shortage of doctors in India and, in fact, the Union of India has permitted increase of seats in government medical colleges without increase of infrastructure. According to him, this shows that the intention of the State is to ensure that more and more doctors pass out and treat the patients. He also relied upon a large number of orders wherein extension has been granted in granting admission in medical colleges in graduate course, P.G. courses and super­speciality courses. He has specifically drawn our attention to the orders passed by this Court on 11.10.2017 in Miscellaneous Application (M.A.) No.1043 of 2017 in Interlocutory Application (I.A.) No.96448 of 2017 in W.P.(C) No.743 of 2017, wherein on the request of the Central Government the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) was permitted to hold mop­up counselling for 553 unfilled super­speciality seats lying vacant. He submits that a similar order may be passed in this case.
(3.) Shri Vikramjit Banerjee, learned ASG appearing for the Union of India has opposed the said application and submits that the sanctity of the earlier orders passed by this Court in Mridul Dhar and Ors. vs. Union of India (UOI) and Ors (2005) 2 SCC 65 ; Priya Gupta vs. State of Chhattisgarh and Ors. (2012) 7SCC 433 and Ashish Ranjan and Ors. vs. Union of India (UOI) and Ors.2016 (11) SCC 225 , will be set at naught if the petition is allowed.;