RURAL SERVICE AGENCY Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. N. Jotendro, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. S. Nepolean, learned G.A. for the respondent No. 1, Mr. K. Rabei for the respondents 2 & 5, Mr. Siddharth Bawa for the respondent No. 3 and Mr. Kh. Mani for respondent No. 4.

(2.) The present writ petition has been filed by 6 (six) nongovernmental organisations which were earlier running Community Care Centers (CCCs) to provide service of various kinds to the people living with AIDS/HIV, seeking certain directions against the respondents, more particularly, respondent Nos. 3 and 4 for their purported arbitrariness in selecting the Community Care Centers now known as Community Service Centers without any public advertisement for selection of the said centers.

(3.) According to the petitioners, they were earlier selected as Community Care Centers by the Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS in short) to provide care and support and treatment for the people living with AIDS/HIV, as per the funds provided by the National AIDS Control Organisation, which is under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. However, there has been certain change in the funding pattern and implementation of the projects as per Notification dated 28.02.2013 issued by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society, by which it has been notified that the Government of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Department of AIDS Control (Care, Support & Treatment Division) vide their Office Memorandum dated 28.02.2013 had decided to assign implementation of the Care and Support model under Global Fund R4 RCC Phase II to a new PR, namely, "India HIV/AIDS Alliance" (the Respondent No. 3) from 1st April, 2013 and the contracts of all the CCCs financially supported by the State AIDS Control Society would be terminated w.e.f. 31.3.2013. It was also clarified that the financial support given to the Community Care Centers by the Manipur AIDS Control Society will not be extended beyond 31.03.2013 (Annexure- A/1).