Why prior permission to raid hospitals should not be declared illegal: High Court
The secretaries of the home ministry, health ministry, law ministry and other people concerned have been asked to respond to the rule within the next four weeks
The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why a health ministry directive barring law enforcement agencies from raiding hospitals without permission should not be declared illegal.
A High Court bench comprising of Justices Tariq ul Hakim and SM Kuddus Zaman have passed the order upon a writ petition.
At the hearing, advocate Yadia Zaman appeared for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state.
The secretaries of the home ministry, health ministry, law ministry and other people concerned have been asked to respond to the rule within the next four weeks.
On August 17, the writ petition was filed at the High Court, challenging the validity of the health ministry's circular in this regard.
The petition sought to know why the circular should not be declared invalid, and also requested the court to suspend the activities over the decision of the ministry.
On August 4, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a directive saying that law enforcement agencies would not be able to conduct raids at any government and private hospital in the country without permission from the ministry.