Supreme Court Overturns Allahabad High Court's Directive on Healthcare Treatment Policy

The Supreme Court overturned a 2018 Allahabad High Court directive mandating Uttar Pradesh government officials seek treatment only at public hospitals. The ruling emphasizes the importance of individual choice in healthcare, noting that policy decisions should remain with the executive branch. Broader issues regarding public healthcare remain unaddressed.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has overturned the Allahabad High Court's 2018 directive that required government officials in Uttar Pradesh to exclusively seek treatment at public hospitals. This landmark decision came from a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, who argued that such mandates interfere with policy decisions and individual medical choices.

The bench questioned the High Court's rationale behind restricting government officials' treatment options and argued that the court's orders should not impinge on policy formulation or limit personal healthcare decisions. The judgement highlighted that government servants could receive undue priority over regular citizens, creating inequities in healthcare access.

Despite setting aside this specific directive, the Supreme Court acknowledged the ongoing concerns about the healthcare system in Uttar Pradesh. While the High Court's numerous directions, such as filling medical staff vacancies and ensuring quality medicines, were not dismissed, the Supreme Court emphasized the need for policy discretion to remain with the executive, not the judiciary.

(With inputs from agencies.)