Today, On 12th February, A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan has overturned the appointment of Dr. Anil Khurana as the head of the National Commission for Homeopathy. The ruling set aside a Karnataka High Court Division Bench order that had previously upheld his appointment. The court’s decision follows legal challenges questioning the selection process. This verdict marks a significant development in the regulation of homeopathic education and practice in India.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Cancelled the appointment of Dr. Anil Khurana as the chairperson of the National Commission for Homeopathy.
A Bench consisting of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan set aside a prior order from the Karnataka High Court that had upheld Dr. Khurana’s appointment.
The Court mandated that Dr. Khurana must resign from his position within a week and is prohibited from making any policy decisions.
The Court stated,
“The appointment was not in accordance with law. The third respondent shall step down from the post of chairperson forthwith within a week without taking any policy decisions. No future benefits shall accrue to him.”
This decision arose from an appeal filed by Dr. Amaragouda L Patil, who contested Dr. Khurana’s appointment. Dr. Patil had initially challenged the appointment in the Karnataka High Court.
On January 10, 2024, a single-judge bench led by Justice NS Sanjay Gowda invalidated Dr. Khurana’s appointment, citing that he did not meet the qualifications specified in Section 4 of the National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020.
This provision requires candidates to have held a leadership role for at least 10 years.
Justice Gowda noted,
“It is only in respect of the period when Dr. Anil Khurana worked as the Director General (in-charge) from August 2017 to April 2018 and as the Director General from July 2019 to 2021, can he be considered as a leader, as envisaged under the provisions of the Act. This would indicate that Dr. Anil Khurana was holding leadership only for a period of about four years and therefore did not satisfy the requirement of Section 4, which required Dr. Anil Khurana to be a leader for at least 10 years as the Head of a Department or 10 years as the Head of an organisation.”
However, in August 2024, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind set-aside the single-judge ruling, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court.
The National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH) is a regulatory body in India responsible for overseeing and regulating homeopathic education and practice. It was established under the National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020, replacing the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH).
Key Functions of NCH:
- Setting standards for homeopathic education and institutions
- Regulating the practice of homeopathy in India
- Granting recognition to homeopathy colleges and ensuring quality education
- Conducting the National Exit Test (NEXT-H) for homeopathy graduates
- Advising the government on matters related to homeopathy policies
The commission ensures the growth and standardization of homeopathic medicine while maintaining ethical and professional standards.
Dr. Anil Khurana is a well-known expert in homeopathy in India. He was the Director General of the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), a top research body under the Ministry of AYUSH. In July 2021, he became the Chairperson of the National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH), which replaced the Central Council of Homeopathy.
However, on February 12, 2025, the Supreme Court of India canceled Dr. Khurana’s appointment as NCH Chairperson, saying it was not done as per the law. The court ordered him to leave the post within a week and asked the government to quickly start the process of appointing a new Chairperson.