Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has decided to take action against over a dozen doctors from across Maharashtra for violation of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT Act) based on the hearing of the cases of violation recently.

Action ranging from warning letters to suspensions of licenses can be taken based on the nature of violation as per the directive of the Bombay High Court. Action against these doctors, however, was delayed due to the postponement of hearings. MMC had received the complaints about the violation from the state's health department.

MMC, is the governing body for doctors across the state, has the power to suspend the licence of doctors who are found guilty of malpractices. MMC maintains records of registrations of doctors, and without such registration no allopathic doctor can practice in the state.

The main objective of PCPNDT Act is prohibition of sex selection and also the regulation of prenatal diagnostic techniques for detection of genetic abnormalities, by restricting their use to registered institutions. In case of violations, PCPNDT cell is empowered to raid the clinic concerned and also take actions like sealing the machine and forwarding the case to MMC. The MMC then takes legal action against the doctors.

In its surprise inspections a few months back, National Inspection and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) constituted under the Union health ministry found rampant violation of PCPNDT Act at genetic counseling centres and infertility centres in Mumbai and Pune. Unauthorised resident doctors were operating the sonography machine and signing all the legal documents like ‘F’ forms and declarations. It was also revealed that sonography machine, model and make was not specified on the certificate of registration.

Inspections also found that some centres were unregistered, were not maintaining the mandatory documents D, E, G and reporting to the concerned authorities. It was also revealed that state advisory committee was also not constituted as per the Act and no meetings has been held for the past four years. Besides this, State Inspection and Monitoring Committee (SIMC) was not constituted and so there were no visits by SIMC to the respective respective districts.