The Bombay High Court on Friday while dealing with the PIL, directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to file an affidavit on denying admission to a pregnant lady in hospital after she fails to give COVID19 negative report.
The PIL was filed before the High Court of Bombay seeking direction to the respondent State of Maharashtra and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai in order to take appropriate measures for expecting ladies to be attended in hospitals and not denied admission, whereby the matter was heard by the Chief Justice of the High Court, Dipankar Datta and Justice A.A. Sayed.
The petitioner, appeared in person, referred to a particular incident, based on a newspaper report, that an expecting lady was denied admission for delivery in J. J. Hospital on the ground that she did not carry with her a COVID19 negative report. The petitioner, accordingly, prayed for direction so that appropriate measures are put in place for expecting ladies to be attended to.
The allegation levelled in the PIL Petition was vehemently contested by the State, whereas learned Assistant Government Pleader, referred to the affidavit filed on behalf of the State and said that no such incident was reported at J. J. Hospital.
Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, mentioned before the High Court that “there are number of maternity homes and clinics which are catering to the needs of expecting ladies and that if some time is granted, he would file an affidavit and make the position of the Corporation clear”.
Therefore, the Bombay High Court said that
“By Thursday next, the Corporation shall file an affidavit and indicate therein the names and particulars of maternity homes and clinics which are attending to expecting ladies and the number of deliveries that have been conducted in such maternity homes and clinics over the past couple of weeks. We propose to dispose of this PIL Petition on the next date upon looking into the particulars to be furnished by the Corporation in its affidavit”.
The matter would now be heard on 22nd June, 2020.
Read the Full Order Here;
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