Kohima: The Supreme Court shot down a bid to change its January 16, 2026, ruling on Nagaland medical officer regularization. Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M. Pancholi heard the petition on September 7. They refused to recall, modify, or vary the earlier order.
The applicants wanted equal treatment for themselves compared to the 98 doctors already cleared by the State under a Special Recruitment Drive. They argued their COVID-19 service records matched those of the regularized staff. The petitioners also claimed the State held no right to discriminate based on the end of their contractual roles, noting no COVID emergency existed when the recruitment drive occurred in August 2024.
The Court stood firm. It rejected the request to reopen the case. The judges noted that in their original order, the apex court made clear that “the present claim of the petitioners will have no bearing on the appointments already made by the State.”
The underlying legal battle continues. The Supreme Court has scheduled further hearings for September 21, 2026. This case stems from a December 11, 2025, judgment by the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, which dismissed challenges to the state's hiring process.
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