BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court held that the Special House Committee constituted by the Legislative Council, has the power to visit nursing colleges to study whether they are functioning in accordance with the law or not. “The committee has the power to take evidence or call for papers, records or documents for the purposes of its study.
However, in the process of studying the functioning of nursing colleges, the committee members cannot be permitted to harass institutions, and their visit should be strictly limited to study/collect evidence as to whether the colleges are subscribing to the prescribed standards, and does not empower committee members to threaten legal action or issue any directions to nursing colleges,” the court said.
Justice MI Arun passed the order while dismissing petitions filed by Hyderabad-Karnataka Nursing Management Association, Karnataka Nursing Institutions Management Association and Karnataka State Association of the Management of Nursing and Allied Health Science Institutions.
The panel was to make suitable recommendations after examining allegations that permission was granted to new nursing colleges and allied health sciences institutions for the academic year 2020-21, despite a lack of infrastructure and violation of directions of the Indian Nursing Council.