In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Nagaland State Government in the case of Vatsala Panghal claiming 1 seat of MBBS from the central pool seats allocated to the State of Nagaland, thus, bringing a decisive conclusion to a long-standing legal battle.

The ruling, delivered on February 10, cements a major legal precedent that non-indigenous candidates cannot claim the seats allocated to the State of Nagaland.

The case began in July 2025 when the petitioner who scored 455 in NEET-UG 2025 and secured All India Rank of 1,13,803 but claimed to be Rank No. 2 in Nagaland. The case worked its way through Gauhati High Court Kohima bench and then Gauhati High Court, Division Bench where the State Government’s Petition was argued by Vihelieu Suokhrie, Additional Advocate General.

Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play

A pivotal moment was marked when the Supreme Court gave its verdict on not interfering with the impugned judgement (s) and order(s) passed by the Gauhati High Court and dismissing the Special Leave Petition along with any accompanying interlocutory application(s) if any.

This outcome was the result of months of meticulous preparation, strategic advocacy, and unwavering dedication from the legal team of KN Balgopal the Advocate General of Nagaland.