The Madras High Court's recent interim order, staying the 9-month extension given to Drugs Control General of India (DCGI), has virtually made the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) without a functioning head, as the DCGI Dr Surinder Singh stopped attending the office after the court order on July 20.

Sources said that ever since the court order, the DCGI has proceeded on leave  as the court has stayed until further orders the union health ministry's recent order in which it had given nine months extension to Dr Singh to continue in the position of DCGI. The court held that the extension order given to Dr Sigh by the government without the permission of the court was in contravention of the laws of the land as the issue was sub judice as a case on the appointment of the DCGI was pending with the court.

Meanwhile, the union health ministry is literally groping in the dark about the next course of action on the issue. Sources in the ministry said that the ministry is weighing all options including moving of Supreme Court on the issue. It held marathon meetings after meetings on the issue for the last two days, but a final decision on the issue is yet to emerge. Sources said that legal experts are skeptical on moving Supreme Court as they feel that the case cannot stand in the apex court as the extension was given to Dr Singh when the issue was sub judice.

Sources said that as the DCGI has gone on leave after the court order, the government may temporarily give charge of the DCGI to somebody from the CDSCO till a permanent DCGI is appointed for which the health ministry has already given advertisements. The names of two deputy drug controllers, Dr D Roy and Dr Somany, are being heard in the corridors of health ministry for the temporary charge of DCGI, sources said.

Meanwhile, all efforts to contact senior officials in the union health ministry and the DCGI did not bear fruit as the officials are busy in meeting while DCGI has switched off his mobile.

Earlier on June 8, 2011, the government of India had extended the appointment of Dr Surinder Singh as DCGI until 31. 3. 2012. The DCGI’s deputation tenure was to expire on June 21, this year.

But, hearing a public interest litigation filed by T K Ramalingasamy, a former regulatory officer of the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department, a Madras high court bench comprising chief justice M Y Iqbal and Justice T S Sivanjaanam in its interim order made the extension given to Dr Surinder Singh null and void till further orders.