The Supreme Court struck down Assam's 2004 rural medical diploma law for legislative incompetence but upheld the validity of the 2015 Community Health Professionals Act.
Assam Rural Medical Diploma Law Invalidated by Supreme Court
In a significant ruling on legislative competence, the Supreme Court has declared the Assam Rural Medical Practitioners’ Act, 2004, unconstitutional, holding it beyond the state legislature’s legislative competence under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Court found that the 2004 Act attempted to regulate medical education and practice, a subject falling under the Union List (Entry 66, List I), thereby infringing on Parliament’s exclusive domain.
However, the Court upheld the Assam Community Health Professionals Act, 2015, distinguishing it on substance and scope. The 2015 law was found to operate within the State List (Entry 6, List II — Public Health and Sanitation) by creating a cadre of mid-level healthcare providers for rural areas without granting full medical practitioner status. The Court emphasized that the 2015 framework was developed in consultation with the Central Government and did not encroach upon the Medical Council of India’s regulatory authority.
The decision reaffirms constitutional boundaries in health legislation and provides clarity for states attempting to address rural healthcare shortages through innovative legal frameworks. States must ensure such laws do not duplicate or undermine central regulatory regimes in medical education and practice.
Citations
- State of Assam v. Dr. Ramesh Chandra Sharma (2026) SCC Online SC
