KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered to maintain the status quo prevailed before the transfer of medical officers that led to a controversy at the Kozhikode District Medical Officer (DMO) office recently.

The controversy erupted after Kozhikode DMO N Rajendran refused to vacate the post to Dr Asha Devi who was transferred from Ernakulam to Kozhikode as the new DMO. Later, Rajendran and another medical officer named Dr Jaysree V challenged the transfer order brought out by the director of health services at the HC.

Justice Kauser Edappagath pointed to the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) order to hear all aggrieved persons affected by the transfer order issued on December 9 and to pass fresh orders within a month. However, on December 24, the director of health services ordered that all persons who have been transferred must join duty as per the December 9 order.

The HC observed that the director of health services should not have issued such a direction while the KAT order existed.