The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sought the response of the State government and the Municipal Corporation on a plea that private hospitals were not admitting COVID-19 patients and were charging exorbitant fee from patients by taking advantage of the lockdown.
The following issues were raised in the PIL filed in Bombay HC by Advocate Varsha Jagdale:
- Private hospitals were not admitting COVID-19 patients
- Exorbitant amounts were being charged by private hospitals for treating patients while taking advantage of the lock-down;
- Test reports issued by the private hospitals certifying patients as not affected by COVID-19 were not being accepted by the Municipal Corporation, leading to patients being made to undergo fresh tests.
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A Bench of comprising of Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice SS Shinde has asked the Government Pleader Purnima Kantharia andthe Counsel representing the Corporation, Advocate Yamuna Parekh, to obtain the appropriate instructions on these issues by May 22.
The Court also allowed an application to implead the Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai as an additional respondent, noting that the presence of the municipal commissioner would be beneficial for proper adjudication of such issues.
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