Maharashtra’s Ban on Homeopaths Practising Allopathy Lands in Bombay High Court
Mumbai/Pune, 23rd July 2025: The Bombay High Court has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over its decision to halt the registration process of homeopathic doctors who completed a bridge course allowing them to practice modern (allopathic) medicine.
A division bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale also sent notices to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), the Indian Medical Association (IMA) – Maharashtra branch, and the Maharashtra Council of Homeopathy. The matter is scheduled for hearing on July 28.
The petition, filed by Dr. Rashi Mordia, a Pune-based homeopathic practitioner, challenges a July 11 directive from the state’s Medical Education and Drugs Department. This directive rolled back an earlier order dated April 24, which had instructed the MMC to maintain a separate register of homeopaths who had successfully completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
Dr. Mordia has urged the court to quash the July 11 order along with related official notifications and communications. Her plea, represented by advocate Sagar Kursija, argues that the CCMP was legally introduced in 2014 through amendments to the Maharashtra Homeopathic Practitioners Act. Parallel changes were made to the Maharashtra Medical Council Act, redefining “medical practitioner” to include homeopaths with a CCMP certification.
In 2014, the Indian Medical Association (Pune) had filed a petition against these amendments, but the Bombay High Court had refused to grant a stay. The Supreme Court also declined to intervene in 2015, effectively allowing the amendments to remain in force.
According to the petition, despite the legality of the CCMP, the MMC had not maintained a dedicated registry for certified homeopaths. That changed after the state’s April 24 order, leading the MMC to issue a notification on June 30 to initiate registrations. However, following a letter from the IMA to the Chief Minister on July 1 expressing concerns about patient safety and the risks of allowing homeopaths to prescribe allopathic medicines, the state reversed its stance.
On July 11, the government withdrew its April directive and set up a committee to examine the matter further. It also instructed the MMC to stop accepting new registrations under the CCMP. Acting upon the same order, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended a 2014 circular that had allowed chemists to honor prescriptions written by CCMP-certified homeopaths.
