The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation petition against the recruitment of non-residents of Puducherry as temporary nurses at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER).
Justices M.M. Sundresh and R. Hemalatha, however, observed that local residents could be given preference as far as possible in future recruitment since familiarity with the local language and customs might lead to a better bond between nurses and patients.
When Additional Solicitor General R. Shankaranarayanan pointed out that most of the nurses hail from Kerala and that the observations might become a hindrance in appointing them, the judges clarified that they had only made a suggestion and it was for JIPMER to take a call.
The Bench also took note of the submissions that the litigant association of JIPMER nurses was an unregistered body and that it had challenged the recruitment of nurses who had already completed three out of the six-month period for which they had been appointed.
