The Delhi High Court has upheld the legality of the Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (MCD) mandate for mobile app attendance in its two hospitals, dismissing a petition by the Paramedical Technical Staff Welfare Association. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, presiding over the case, deemed the app-based system necessary for enhanced healthcare services, improved employee accountability, and fostering discipline.
The August 2022 MCD order stipulating app-based attendance for salary disbursement at Rajan Babu Institute of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis (RBIPMT) and Maharishi Valmiki Infectious Diseases Hospital (MVID) was challenged by the association. Their concerns regarding the financial burden on employees lacking smartphones and potential privacy violations were addressed by the court.
Justice Singh dismissed the financial burden argument, stating that smartphone ownership wasn’t mandatory. Alternative methods like using supervisor or colleague phones for attendance registration were deemed acceptable. Privacy concerns were also alleviated by highlighting the app’s scrutiny by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
The court emphasised the importance of a robust public healthcare system and the detrimental impact of absenteeism. It underscored the need for technological advancements to improve public sector efficiency and criticised the resistance against the app as defiance of MCD directives.
Furthermore, the court reminded public servants of their obligation to adhere to service rules and government-imposed conditions for better public administration. This ruling sets a precedent for technology-driven accountability and efficiency within public healthcare systems in India.
