States told to pull up ‘defiant’ hospitals

New Delhi: The Social Justice bench of the Supreme Court empowered the states and Union Territories to take action against hospitals and clinics for refusal to treat victims of acid attacks and other crimes in contravention of the provisions of Section 357-C of the CrPC. The bench passed this order on a writ petition filed by an acid attack victim, Laxmi, in 2006.

Pursuant to the directions of the top court, the Union home secretary and health secretary had convened a meeting of their counterparts in states/UTs in March. The meeting was informed that many states/UTs had already issued directions to private hospitals to provide free medical treatment. The bench directed the remaining states/UTs to pass appropriate orders immediately.