Supreme Court Orders Aniket Back to RG Kar

Kolkata: The Supreme Court has affirmed the directive of the Calcutta High Court. It stated that junior doctor Aniket Mahato be posted to RG Kar Medical College. This comes against a backdrop of significant change in West Bengal’s medical administration. This decision marks a turning point in the junior doctor posting controversy. The issue has led to intense public debate. People are concerned about fairness, political influence, and transparency within the West Bengal Health Department’s posting procedures.

The dispute centres on determining the official posting of Aniket Mahato following the completion of his medical training.  The West Bengal Health Department assigned him to Raiganj Medical College. It lies a considerable distance from Kolkata. He was not assigned to RG Kar Medical College, which was a position he secured through merit and preference.  When Aniket became prominent in events related to the junior doctors’ protest movement at RG Kar, questions arose quickly. People wondered if his transfer was an administrative routine or politically motivated.  The Supreme Court has now confirmed the High Court’s assessment. It addressed that the posting violated SOP norms. The posting raised constitutional concerns. It also embodied unequal treatment. The Supreme Court has validated the High Court’s observation. It confirmed that the posting contravened SOP norms. The posting elicited constitutional concerns. It also exemplified unequal treatment.

The controversy originated in May 2024 with the publication of the junior doctor posting list.  Although Aniket Mahato had attained a high rank and satisfied all eligibility criteria, he was assigned to Raiganj. Two other protest leaders—Debashis Haldar and Asfaqullah Nayak—were likewise dispatched to remote postings in Malda and Arambagh.  Such a picky relocation raised concerns among the masses. They believed the junior doctor posting problem was not just administrative. It seemed to be punitive in nature.

The principal actors are listed as follows. Aniket Mahato is the junior doctor and petitioner. The West Bengal Health Department is the issuing authority. The Calcutta High Court first intervened. The Supreme Court of India is the final verdict authority. The Division Bench and Single Bench judges reviewed procedural lapses. The Supreme Court verdict holds the State responsible. It found the State in violation of established posting rules. The verdict also highlighted a violation of Article 14, the constitutional right to equality. The chain of events includes:

• RGkar medical college, where Aniket wants to join;
• Raiganj Medical College, his disputed posting site;
• Calcutta High Court, where the case originated;
• Supreme Court, where the final decision was delivered.

The decision states that the posting order should be introduced within two weeks in RG kar medical college. Therefore, a long-standing dispute was concluded. In September 2024, the Calcutta High Court declared that the State had violated SOP procedures and merit‑based counselling rules.  Justice Biswajit Basu found that only the protest leaders were selectively moved, thereby raising constitutional concerns.  The State appealed to the division bench which affirmed the same conclusions.  The final Supreme Court ruling on 11 December 2025 affirmed that no intervention was necessary. The High Court’s order was correct. This marked yet another legal victory for transparency in West Bengal’s doctor posting system. The Aniket Mahato posting controversy is not simply a personal dispute; it highlights deep structural issues:

• Need for administrative neutrality  
• Protection of protest participants and whistleblowers  
• Such assurance of merit-based posting in government medical college.  
• Avoidance of abuse of transfer powers (political).  

The Supreme Court verdict establishes a crucial precedent for future junior doctor postings in West Bengal. The Court has directed the West Bengal Health Department to:

• Issue a revised posting order  
• Update official records  
• Allow Aniket Mahato to join the Anaesthesia department of RG Kar Medical College without delay

The 2-week time frame is an indication of judicial sternness on adherence.  Aniket attacked the government. He claimed that no costs were debated in court. He also stated that the government was using tax jurisdiction to hire high-profile attorneys for an unwarranted fight.  Instead, he claimed that this money ought to be used to enhance health care facilities open to the populace.  The Supreme Court decision has been widely welcomed as a win for justice, equality and the rights of junior doctors.