SC directs Centre, State- No one shall be denied hospitalisation or essential drugs in any state for lack of residential proof

As the second wave of COVID-19, has badly affected the country the Supreme Court, in an order, directed the Centre to formulate a national policy on admissions to hospitals within two weeks. In its order, the top court said no patient shall be denied hospitalisation or essential drugs in any state for lack of local residential proof.

A Bench directed the Central government to formulate a national policy on admissions to hospitals, within two weeks, which shall be followed by all state governments and till then no patients will be denied admission or essential drugs in absence of local residential or identity proof.

“The Central government and state governments shall notify all chief secretaries, directors-general of police, commissioners of police that any clampdown on information on social media or harassment caused to individuals seeking/delivering help on any platform will attract a coercive exercise of jurisdiction by this court.”

“The registrar (judicial) is also directed to place a copy of this order before all district magistrates in the country,” it said in the order.

The top court also directed the Centre to ensure that the deficit in the supply of oxygen to the national capital is rectified before May 3 midnight.

“The Central Government shall, in collaboration with the states, prepare a buffer stock of oxygen for emergency purposes and decentralize the location of the emergency stocks. The emergency stocks shall be created within the next four days and are to be replenished on a day to day basis, in addition to the existing allocation of oxygen supply to the States,” the bench said.

It further said that emergency stocks shall be created within the next four days and is to be replenished on a day-to-day basis, in addition to the existing allocation of oxygen supply to the states.

The directions were passed in a suo motu case for ensuring essential supplies and services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There should be free flow of information; we should hear voices of citizens. This is a national crisis. There should not be any presumption that the grievances raised on the Internet are always false. Let a strong message be sent to all the DGPs that there should not be any kind of clampdown,” the bench had said while reserving its order on April 30.

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