SWAMY MANJUNATH S T Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners, now the practising Physicians, who earlier having availed the Government Medical Seats, had joined their Post Graduate Degree/Post Graduate Diploma courses in Clinical/Non-clinical subjects, in the academic years 2015 and 2016. After accomplishing the said degree/diploma course in the year 2018, they have secured the Provisional Degree Certificates from the Respondent-University, awaiting the ensuing Convocation Ceremony. They have knocked at the doors of this Writ Court assailing the Notification bearing No.DME/PGS/12/2018-19 dated 28.09.2018, issued by the Respondent-Director of Medical Education whereby, amongst others, they are asked to "mandatorily attend Counselling" for the purpose of deploying their services to the Government for the benefit of public at large.

(2.) The impugned notification is reproduced verbatim and in its entirety and that the same shall be hereafter referred to as the "Counselling Notification":

(3.) After service of notice, the Respondent-State and the Director of Medical Education have entered appearance through the learned Addl. Advocate General Shri A.S. Ponnanna, and the Respondent-University is represented by its Senior Panel Counsel Shri N.K. Ramesh. The answering Respondents having filed the Statement of Objections in other connected matters, have adopted the same in these matters too, their fact matrix and the contentions arising therefrom being substantially the same. In view of some further developments namely, the issuance of allotment letters to a few petitioners, postcounselling, the Writ Petitions have been amended with the leave of the Court and thereby, additional grounds have been taken up by filing the amended pleadings.