Separate PIL registered, matter dubbed as highly sensitive
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 9: A Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has taken suo-moto cognizance of the revelations made by Excelsior in today’s edition regarding collapse of cardiac services at Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) Jammu and issued notices to Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Superintendent of the Hospital and Principal of the Government Medical College Jammu.
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When the bunch of four petitions purportedly filed in the public interest and pending over a decade came up for hearing, the DB said, “in essence, a mandamus is prayed for to-command the respondents to provide adequate medical facilities and infrastructure at capital cities and also the urban areas considering the ever rising population. Further, to direct the respondents to regulate and monitor the functioning of Nursing Homes and private Medical Institutes/Health Centres in sync with the guidelines of Ministry of Health, Government of India and Medical Council of India”.
“Considering the nature and multiple issues/questions that arise for consideration of this court, vide order date November 10, 2025, we had requested Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed to render assistance as an Amicus. Accordingly, he submits that he has examined each of the four petitions in detail and numerous orders that have been passed from time to time”, the DB said.
“It is urged that fifteen status reports/compliance reports have been submitted by the respondent authorities over a period of time. But with no tangible results. The Amicus prays for a short accommodation to collate all the reports/affidavits that have been filed to flag the issues that need to be addressed and submit an affidavit/report with suggestions”, the DB further said.
During the course of hearing, Advocate S S Ahmed shared with the Division Bench a News report published in Excelsior regarding collapse of cardiac services at SSH Jammu.
“We have examined the News report which reveals that cardiac services at Government Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu came to a grinding halt as the authorized suppliers of emergency cardiac devices including stents, pacemakers, balloons and Cath Lab Consumables suspended all such supplies owing to unpaid dues amounting to nearly Rs 30 crore under Ayushman Bharat Pradan Mántri Jan Arogaya Yojna (PMJAY)”, the DB observed:
Due to this, the Hospital’s Cath-Lab operations have been completely paralyzed. For, in the normal parlance the SSH performs around twenty -five cardiac procedures daily but owing to the current impasse not a single heart related intervention could be carried out throughout the day which has placed vulnerable cardiac patients at serious risk, the DB noted.
“Exfacie, the matter is highly sensitive. Thus, we are impelled to take suo moto cognizance of the prevailing conditions”, the DB said and accordingly asked the Registrar Judicial to register and number a petition as “Court on its Own Motion Versus Nemo” in public interest and put up the same before this Bench during the course of the day.
Later, when the matter came up for hearing, the DB arrayed Commissioner Secretary to Government, Health and Medical Education Department, Superintendent of SSH Jammu and Principal of Government Medical College Jammu as respondents. Accordingly, they were issued notices, which were accepted by Senior Additional Advocate General Monika Kohli. She prayed for short accommodation to seek instructions and submit response. She was asked by the DB to do so a day prior to the adjourned date.
Advocate S S Ahmed who is assisting this court in other matter involving similar issues as Amicus was requested by the DB to render assistance in the petition at hand as well, to which he graciously agreed. The matter now will be heard on December 11.
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