IMA to suspend medical services if homeopathy practitioners registered with state body

“The matter is presently sub judice before the Bombay High Court. Arguments from all concerned parties have been substantially concluded, and the matter is at the stage of final adjudication. The next hearings are scheduled for August 13 and 14,” Dr Santosh Kulkarni, president, IMA Maharashtra said. He added that under these circumstances, doctors at IMA Maharashtra expressed serious concern over reports that the Government is attempting to complete the registration process just days before the Court delivers its final judgment.

“Such haste is both unwarranted and highly questionable, particularly when the issue is awaiting judicial determination,” Dr Kulkarni said in a statement. “There are reports that suggest directions have been issued to the MMC Administrator to commence issuance of registration certificates to BHMS-CCMP holders from July 27,” Dr Kulkarni claimed and said that they had raised serious objections before the government, High Court and MMC.

“There is no statutory Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or legal framework to govern permanent or dual registration of BHMS-CCMP holders in the Allopathic Medical Register. Accordingly, no registration certificates should be issued until the legal objections are fully adjudicated and an appropriate statutory framework is established,” the IMA state chief said.

IMA officer bearers have referred to the Government Resolution (GR) dated July 23 2026, wherein the State Government itself acknowledged that Maharashtra has an adequate number of MBBS doctors and consequently abolished the compulsory post-MBBS Government Bond Service due to the availability of sufficient medical professionals. “If the Government itself has officially concluded that there is no shortage of MBBS doctors, our doctors with IMA Maharashtra have questioned the rationale for continuing an alternative pathway such as the CCMP programme for entry into modern medicine,” Dr Kulkarni added.

The Association has demanded an immediate policy review and discontinuation of the CCMP programme.

IMA and other medical associations warned if the government takes a decision on giving registrations to homeopathic practitioners, then they will immediately start a service shutdown from Tuesday (July 28). “We have come to know that some homeopathic doctors are trying to get registration from MMC by staging sit-in protests. The government should not try to give even a single registration to BHMS doctors under such pressure. We strongly condemn any such move. Such a thing is illogical, unscientific and has an adverse impact on social health,” Dr Kulkarni said.

In a statement, IMA Maharashtra said it and other medical associations such as MARD, ASMI, MSN, JDN warned if the government takes any such decision, the member doctors of these associations will immediately start a service shutdown Tuesday morning.

IMA said the decision to close outpatient and emergency services was not taken out of a sentimental manner, but out of serious concern over patient safety, professional standards in the medical profession and far-reaching consequences of any policy decision that blurs the distinction between different medical practices and reduces the importance of qualified allopathic medical care.