THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Cochin Medical Council (TCMC) circular that the doctors not registered with the council cannot practice in the state has created a ruckus. A doctor challenged this order stating that it is against the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956.

The TCMC authorities opine that as per the Travancore Cochin Medical Practitioners’ (TCMP) Act of 1953, all the doctors who practice in Kerala must register with the TCMC. Dr K Mohanan, TCMC member, said that there is a demand for a national registration and the proposal is before the MCI. Currently, every doctor has to register with the state councils in order to practice.

The TCMC issued a circular urging all the doctors working in private hospitals to register with the council as it was discovered that several doctors were practising without state’s registration.

Dr Babu K V, a medical practitioner from Payannur, has urged the state council to withdraw the notification claiming that it is against the Indian Medical Council Act. He said that there is a conflict between the Indian Medical Council Act and the TCMP Act and in case of a discord between central and state acts, the earlier one will prevail. The Indian Medical Council Act states that once a registered medical practitioner gets enrolled in the Indian Medical Register, he can practice anywhere in the country.

He has urged the TCMC to withdraw the circular, or else, he would go to the court. He mentioned that the state medical council cannot issue any notification in violation of the central act.

The TCMC has; however, decided to check the private hospitals to ascertain if the doctors are practising without registering with the state council. Dr K Mohanan said that doctors who have obtained degrees from other states are working here. They might have registered at the state where they completed their degree or post-graduation. However, this is not enough as per the TCMP act.

The IMA states that registration with the state council is mandatory and all doctors should complete the process. Dr N Sulphi, state secretary of IMA, said that according to the Act, the doctors have to get registered. If there is a conflict in the acts, the Indian Medical Council should make an amendment, he said.