Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Bombay HC Order Ends Doctors' Agitation, Resident Doctors Resume Work
Many doctors in the Indian state of Maharashtra were upset about a new government plan.
The plan would allow some homeopathy doctors to join the Maharashtra Medical Council, which usually looks after doctors of modern medicine.
The doctors worried this could be unsafe for patients.
To show they were unhappy, they stopped doing their normal hospital work, but they still helped in emergencies.
The Bombay High Court, a very important court, asked the doctors to stop protesting and talk with the government instead.
The doctors listened to the court and went back to work.
More than 7,000 doctors across the state started taking care of regular patients again.
So far, only one homeopathy doctor has been registered, from the city of Nashik.
The doctors say they will keep sharing their concerns using other lawful ways.
The Bombay High Court directed doctors' bodies to withdraw their protest over the proposed registration of CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) and hold talks with the state government.
BMC MARD, Central MARD and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra called off their agitation on Thursday, and over 7,000 resident doctors across Maharashtra resumed work.
Routine OPDs, IPDs, elective surgeries, academic activities and Central Laboratory services were restored at government hospitals including KEM, Sion, Nair, JJ and St George in Mumbai, and at public hospitals across the state.
The associations said they withdrew the agitation solely in compliance with the High Court's directions and without prejudice to their demands, while BMC MARD reiterated concerns over patient safety and the practice of modern medicine.
Only one CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioner, a doctor from Nashik, has received MMC registration so far; further certificates were delayed because the MMC Registrar was unavailable amid the court's suo motu proceedings.
- Who
- Over 7,000 resident doctors in Maharashtra, represented by BMC MARD, Central MARD and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra.
- What
- The doctors' bodies called off their strike and resumed routine hospital services after the Bombay High Court directed them to withdraw the protest.
- When
- On Thursday; routine services had been suspended since August 5, and IMA Maharashtra had been on strike since August 4.
- Where
- Maharashtra, including Mumbai's KEM, Sion, Nair, JJ and St George hospitals and public hospitals across the state.
- Why
- Because the Bombay High Court directed the withdrawal of the protest over the proposed registration of CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council.
Doctors' Associations
State Government / High Court
Registration of CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners
Doctors' Associations
BMC MARD says registering CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council raises serious concerns over patient safety and the practice of modern medicine, and it opposes the move.
State Government / High Court
The state government decided to register CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council, and implementation has begun, with the first registration certificate issued to a doctor from Nashik.
Withdrawal of the agitation
Doctors' Associations
Central MARD said it was not inclined to withdraw the agitation on merits, and BMC MARD said the protest would continue through other lawful and democratic means.
State Government / High Court
The Bombay High Court directed the doctors' bodies to withdraw the present form of protest and hold discussions with the state government; the associations complied and restored all suspended routine services.
- Agitation withdrawn by
- BMC MARD, Central MARD and IMA Maharashtra
- Resident doctors resumed work
- 7,000+ across Maharashtra
- Services suspended since
- August 5 (BMC MARD); August 4 (IMA Maharashtra)
- Hospitals restoring services
- KEM, Sion, Nair, JJ, St George (Mumbai) and public hospitals statewide
- Emergency services
- Remained operational throughout the agitation
- Protest trigger
- Proposed registration of CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council
- Registrations issued so far
- 1 (a doctor from Nashik, certificate issued Tuesday evening)
- Registration delay reason
- MMC Registrar unavailable due to Bombay High Court suo motu proceedings