Jaipur: NHM Settles 15-Year-Old Legal Battle by Paying Advocate for 84 Cases
In a significant development from Jaipur, the National Health Mission (NHM) has finally paid its advocate, Manju Jain, after an astonishing delay of 15 years for contesting 84 cases. This long-pending payment led to the withdrawal and subsequent dismissal of her writ petition in the Rajasthan High Court on Monday, bringing closure to a protracted legal dispute over professional fees.
Background of the Case and Initial Appointment
According to the petitioner's counsel, Manju Jain was appointed as legal counsel for the NHM in 2010. In 2011, she actively contested 84 cases on behalf of the Mission, with all these cases being decided on September 20, 2011. She promptly raised her bill for professional services on October 17, 2011, but unfortunately, the payment was not processed by the authorities.
Legal Proceedings and Government Inaction
Frustrated by what she termed as "gross inaction by the government and the NRHM" in settling her professional fees, Jain filed a writ petition in the high court in 2019. For nearly five years, the government failed to respond to the petition, which prompted the court to impose a cost of Rs 5,000 for not filing a reply despite being given a final opportunity.
The government later informed the court that the National Health Mission, Government of Rajasthan, had decided in 2011 that all 84 cases would be treated as a single case for payment purposes. Shockingly, even that consolidated amount remained unpaid for 14 years, highlighting systemic delays in administrative processes.
Court Intervention and Final Resolution
In a surprising move, the NHM sanctioned a mere Rs 5,000 on November 6, 2025, against the 84 cases contested by Jain. Taking strong note of this inadequate stance, the court ordered the personal presence of the NHM director on December 6, 2025, and February 2, 2026. The court's intervention was crucial in addressing the issue of paying a counsel only Rs 5,000 for handling 84 cases.
In view of the stiff stand taken by the high court, the National Health Mission finally satisfied the outstanding fees of the counsel by making a payment of Rs 4.2 lakh after 15 years on February 2, 2026. This payment led to the disposal of the writ petition, effectively bringing the curtain down on a decade-and-a-half-old dispute over entitlement to professional fees, as stated by the petitioner's counsel, Sunil Samdaria.
Court's Final Order and Conclusion
Justice Ganesh Ram Meena noted that the petitioner's counsel sought permission to withdraw the writ petition since the relief had been granted. Accordingly, the court dismissed the writ petition as withdrawn, marking the end of this lengthy legal battle.
This case underscores the importance of timely payment for professional services and the role of judicial intervention in resolving long-standing administrative delays. It also highlights the challenges faced by legal professionals in securing their rightful remuneration from government bodies.
