The Bombay High Court would on Tuesday hear a public interest litigation (PIL) pertaining to the safety of doctors across Maharashtra. The PIL highlighted instances of assault on doctors by the kin of patients.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni was moved by advocate Nitin Deshpande, who sought an urgent hearing of the PIL filed by a Pune-based Dr Rajeev Joshi last year.
Deshpande urged the bench to grant an urgent hearing in view of the rise in the cases of COVID-19. He highlighted the fact that the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss of Property) Act of 2010 was not sufficient to protect doctors.
The counsel further stated that the similar laws for the protection of doctors in other states are sufficient, but the one in Maharashtra isn't.
Meanwhile, another advocate, who appeared before the judges stating to be representing a doctor's association, also sought urgent hearing.
Having heard the contention, the bench adjourned the matter till Tuesday.
