Delhi HC refuses to pass orders on plea seeking action against private Covid-19 hospitals

The bench said in cases of overcharging, an aggrieved party may approach the court with a specific prayer against the respective hospital declared Covid-19 facility, but general directions cannot be passed in a PIL.

The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to pass any directions on a plea that sought it to order the Delhi government to ensure that private hospitals declared Covid-19 facilities do not overcharge patients, or deny treatment due to a lack of funds.

Medical workers speak with family members of people admitted with coronavirus infections, outside the Covid-19 ward at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) in New Delhi on Friday. (Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)

While the bench, of chief justice DN Patel and justice Prateek Jalan, said the issue raised in the plea is “good”, it said it could not pass any general directions in the matter, saying these would be “difficult to implement”.

“At this stage, we are not inclined to issue any direction,” the bench said while disposing the public interest litigation, filed by advocate Amit Sahni, who sought modifications in a May 24 Delhi government circular.

The bench said in cases of overcharging, an aggrieved party may approach the court with a specific prayer against the respective hospital, but general directions cannot be passed in a PIL. It asked Sahni to give a representation to the Delhi government on the matter.

According to the May 24 circular, private hospitals shall bill the Covid-19 patients as per their respective schedule of charges.By the virtue of the order, the hospitals were allowed to increase their number of beds for non-Covid patients by 25%, which was earlier not allowed as per norms. However the government had said that the 117 hospitals can ask for only 50% of their lowest charges for these extra non-Covid beds.