New Delhi, 16 December (H.S.): On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to examine a petition from the Kerala Private Hospitals Association and Hussain Koya Thangal contesting a Kerala High Court ruling that mandates clinical establishments to display service lists and package rates prominently.

High Court Directives Spark Controversy

The Kerala High Court's division bench, comprising Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V.M., issued the November 26 verdict while upholding the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018. It required hospitals to exhibit rates in Malayalam and English at reception desks and websites, noting that non-compliance invites penalties like registration suspension alongside patient remedies.

Origins in Earlier Legal Battles

This stems from dismissed appeals against a single judge's order rejecting challenges to the Act's provisions, deemed essential for patient rights and healthcare transparency akin to global standards. The top court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta took up the matter, signaling potential interim relief amid hospitals' claims of impracticality and rights violations under Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar