Supreme Court upholds Nagaland government’s regularisation of 97 Covid-era medical officers, ending legal challenge over pandemic appointments services.
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DIMAPUR — The Supreme Court has cleared the regularisation of 97 medical officers engaged by Nagaland government during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a press release issued on Monday, the Health and Family Welfare department informed that the apex court, while hearing a special leave petition (SLP) on January 16 had ordered that “the present claim of the petitioners will have no bearing on the appointments already made by the state”, and that the regularisation of the 97 medical officers will stand.
According to the department, the SLP arose out of a judgement and order dated December 11, 2025, passed by the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court in Writ Appeal No. 32 of 2025.
It stated that the petition had been filed by three appellants in Writ Appeal No. 32 of 2025 before the Supreme Court following the Division Bench judgement and order dated December 11, 2025, by the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court, which had dismissed Appeal Case No. WA/25/2025 and the linked case No. WA/32/2025.
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The High Court cases had challenged a common judgement and order dated August 1, 2025, passed by a single judge in WP(C) No. 239/2024 and WP(C) No. 187/2024, which had permitted Nagaland government to proceed with the regularisation of the medical officers under the Special Recruitment Drive, if it had not already been completed.
According to the department, the services of the 97 medical officers who were engaged during the Covid-19 pandemic and are still serving have already been regularised.
The regularisation was carried out based on the approval accorded by the state Cabinet vide No. CAB-1/14/2023 dated August 7, 2024, and the judgement passed by the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court in WA/25/2025 on December 11, 2025.