On Monday, the Supreme Court summoned senior bureaucrats from 28 states and union territories for their lax approach to enforcing ICU and CCU treatment guidelines. The court had earlier told all states and UTs to come up with a comprehensive ICU guideline related to critical care units for hospitals by October 5. That deadline has now expired and states have responded late or not responded at all.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N. Kotiswar Singh raised a serious concern about their apparent indifferent manner. “It is perhaps time for the court to take serious cognisance of such casualness shown by states,” said the bench. The court issued notices to the additional chief secretaries or the senior-most rank officer responsible for the health portfolio, instructing them to appear in person with an explanation as to why they shouldn’t be liable for contempt of court.
The matter has been fixed for hearing before the Ultimate Court on November 20, with the bench warning that strict action will follow in case of continued non-compliance, or casual compliance.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the Court that states and UTs, including Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, have not filed any responses.
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