AMN / NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court will hear tomorrow (Monday) the suo moto cognisance of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
As per the cause list published on the Supreme Court’s website, a three-judge bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud will resume hearing the case suo moto on September 30. Last week, the Bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, decided to postpone the hearing scheduled for September 27 on the West Bengal government’s request.
Earlier, the top court raised concerns after its attention was drawn to a state government order requiring women doctors to not be employed at night. After the SC’s intervention, the West Bengal government assured the apex court that any conditions that cast a cloud on the basic constitutional premise of gender equality would not be enforced.
Taking suo moto cognisance of the incident, the Supreme Court termed it horrific, which raises the systemic issue of the safety of doctors across the country. The top court also ordered the formation of a National Task Force (NTF) to suggest measures for the security of medical professionals across the country, observing that the safety of doctors is the “highest national concern.