Senior advocate Indira Jaising is set to represent the junior doctors of West Bengal in the ongoing case at the Supreme Court. The legal battle centers around the recent controversies involving the junior doctors’ strike at RG Kar Medical College. Previously, advocate Geeta Luthra had represented the ‘West Bengal Junior Doctors Front’ in court. On Tuesday, Indira Jaising will take over, while Karuna Nundy and Sabyasachi Chatterjee will advocate on behalf of another group, the ‘Joint Platform of Doctors West Bengal’, which is also protesting the incident.
On Sunday, Aniket Mahato, a representative of the protesting junior doctors, confirmed the appointment of Indira Jaising, stating, “We have appointed Indira Jaising as our advocate, and she will represent us in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.”
Indira Jaising is one of the most prominent senior advocates in the Supreme Court and has been involved in several landmark cases. Notably, she had earlier advocated for live streaming of Supreme Court proceedings, urging greater transparency and public accessibility. In January 2023, a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha, and Justice JB Pardiwala approved her plea, leading to the live streaming of select court cases.
As a result, the Supreme Court hearings, including the current case concerning the RG Kar incident, are being broadcast live for the public. However, the demand for live streaming has been a point of contention in negotiations between the junior doctors and the West Bengal government. During a meeting at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence on Saturday, the junior doctors insisted on live streaming the discussions. The Chief Minister, however, pointed out that their earlier letter did not mention this demand. This unresolved issue has led to repeated disruptions in the talks, including a failed meeting last Thursday, primarily due to the insistence on live streaming.
The live streaming debate continues to be a significant hurdle in reaching a resolution between the junior doctors and the state government.