Delhi Medical Council dissolved: Why 2,000 complaints are now stuck in a ‘justice vacuum’

He sent his first formal complaint — seeking an inquiry into the matter — to the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), which then forwarded the complaint to the Delhi Medical Council (DMC).

But the dissolution of the DMC — a key statutory forum mandated to investigate allegations related to medical negligence and professional misconduct against registered medical practitioners in the Capital — last June has brought redressal of such complaints to a halt, and created a vacuum in accountability.

As the DMC was defunct, Gautam’s complaint was forwarded to the Indira Gandhi Hospital for investigation. A letter to this effect, dated December 2, 2025, was issued to record statements from both parties, but Gautam claimed that no inquiry followed even as more than two months have lapsed. He is among the many bearing the brunt of the DMC dissolution.

‘1,800-2,000 complaints pending’

Sources say every month DMC gets around 100 complaints and currently there are 1,800-2,000 complaints, which are pending to be heard.

Last year , on June 17, the council was dissolved by Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V K Saxena due to serious allegations of administrative and financial irregularities. The council — which has not been reconstituted since — also caused significant delays in doctor registrations.

While ordering the dissolution, the L-G allowed two ex officio members to continue temporarily, assigned the DGHS the role of registrar for the interim period, and directed the Health department to reconstitute the council within two months under the Delhi Medical Council Act, 1997.

However, in December 2025, a special audit was ordered to investigate allegations that the DMC collected roughly Rs 28 crore in recent years without proper audits or fund segregation. The committee will also examine whether such recovery can be made from the personal accounts of Dr Girish Tyagi, who previously served as acting registrar and has held the positions of both president and vice-president of the council. Dr Tyagi filed a case in the Delhi High Court seeking to quash a government order directing him to vacate his post. The matter is subjudice.

Delhi Health Minister, Pankaj Singh told The Indian Express that the DMC will be reconstituted soon through elections. He also said that until the council is reconstituted, committees are functioning to examine medical negligence complaints. He added that patients can write directly to his office in cases of medical negligence and such complaints would be taken up, especially in emergencies, and action would be initiated if the accused is found guilty. “As soon as the complaints come, we take action. If there is any such complaint, then you give it to me,” he said.

‘No effective grievance redressal mechanism’

The core functions of the DMC, established in 1998, also include maintaining an up-to-date live register, and prescribing and enforcing a code of medical ethics to ensure professional conduct. After an inquiry into allegations of malpractice, the DMC can initiate disciplinary actions such as reprimanding the practitioner, suspension, or removal of practitioners, and in appropriate cases, award compensation.

In addition, it plays a key role in preventing quackery by ensuring that only qualified professionals practice modern medicine, while also providing protection to its members when they are lawfully discharging their professional duties. The Council is composed of both elected and nominated members, including representatives from the Delhi Medical Association and medical colleges.

Flagging concerns over possible administrative and regulatory gaps due to a defunct DMC, Dr Ajay Gambhir, former executive member, DMC, said “Earlier, patients’ complaints were screened by an executive committee and examined by a statutory disciplinary committee consisting of medical professionals, legal experts, and local MLA. Since these committees no longer exist, patient complaints are either not being taken up or are being redressed extremely slowly, with no clear accountability or timeline.”

The acting registrar of the DMC is the DGHS, he highlighted, which is already heavily occupied with administrative tasks such as registrations, re-registrations, and issuing certificates. As a result, the regulatory and disciplinary functions of the council have taken a backseat. Appointing a full-time medical professional as registrar, as done in other states like Maharashtra and Haryana, would have been more appropriate, he said.

Pankaj Solanki, former DMC member, highlighted another challenge. “All complaints are being transferred to local hospitals, which are asked to form expert committees to conduct fact-finding inquiries. These hospital committees investigate the allegations and submit their reports to the DMC. However, hospitals do not have the legal authority to take disciplinary action against doctors; they can only investigate and report,” he said.

He pointed out that even as fact-finding reports are submitted, the process comes to a standstill because there is no constituted council to act on them. The DMC’s registrar, he noted, does not have the authority to take action independently. Disciplinary, executive, and general body committees are required for any decision, and all of these bodies are currently absent. “In practical terms, patients do not have an effective grievance-redressal mechanism at present,” he explained.