Gujarat High Court Issues Notices Over Ayurveda Practitioner Allegations
Background of the Case
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has taken action by issuing notices to the state government and various regulatory bodies in response to allegations against an Ayurveda practitioner. The practitioner is accused of exceeding his authorized scope of practice by prescribing allopathic medicines. This case originated from a petition filed by a resident of Porbandar, who claimed that an Ayurvedic doctor based in Ranavav town, Porbandar district, was treating patients using allopathic methods, despite possessing only a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree. According to current regulations, Ayurveda practitioners are not allowed to independently practice allopathy.
Petitioner’s Allegations
As reported by The Times of India, the petitioner, represented by legal counsel Hemal Shah and Dhwani Lakhani, informed the court that he had previously approached the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine with a complaint regarding the practitioner’s prescription of allopathic medicines. While certain allopathic drugs can be used under specific guidelines for primary care, the lawyers argued that the doctor had exceeded these limits by prescribing potent medications, including those classified as Schedule H drugs.
Regulatory Response and Judicial Intervention
The daily further noted that in October 2025, the National Commission forwarded the complaint to the Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine, which holds the authority to take disciplinary actions. However, the board reportedly did not take any action, prompting the petitioner to seek intervention from the judiciary.
High Court Proceedings
The petitioner subsequently requested the High Court to direct the relevant authorities to comply with legal regulations regarding medical practice. During the court hearing, the government’s counsel argued that the petitioner should have filed a public interest litigation, as he was not directly impacted and was raising concerns about an individual practitioner.
Justice’s Observations
In response to this argument, Justice Aniruddha Mayee remarked that the writ petition aimed to secure appropriate directions for statutory authorities to fulfill their legal responsibilities. Following this, the High Court issued notices to the state government, the Commissioner of Health, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, the Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine, district and taluka health officers, the Gujarat Medical Council, and the Ayurveda practitioner accused of practicing allopathic medicine.
Related Developments
Additionally, it is noteworthy that the CCRAS has signed a memorandum of understanding with Berhampur University to digitize rare Ayurveda manuscripts.