Assault on doctors: Can't expect us to monitor each activity, says Supreme Court

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Prasanna B Varale, while referring to a top court verdict, said related guidelines were already laid down and the petitioners were at liberty to file appropriate proceedings.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to consider plea for guidelines to protect doctors from rising instances of assault, saying the court cannot be expected to do everything and monitor each activity.

"You cannot expect the Supreme Court to do everything and monitor each and every activity," a bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Prasanna B Varale said, while hearing three pleas, including by Delhi Doctors Forum, filed in 2022 against rising cases of assault on doctors and sought framing of comprehensive guidelines for their protection.

One of the pleas sought a CBI probe into the alleged suicide of a gynaecologist in Dausa in Rajasthan.

As the court refused to consider the matter, one lawyer for the petitioners said the reality was that even if there was a judgement from the apex court, nothing would change on the ground.

"So what is the point in again giving guidelines," the bench asked the lawyer, who continued to insist for the court to pass appropriate orders by saying that Parliament had also considered this issue.

The bench then said, "It is for the parliament to do."

Referring to a verdict, the bench said related guidelines were already laid down by this court and the petitioners were at liberty to file appropriate proceedings in this regard.

The court, however, said that the incidents related to attack on doctors were all very unfortunate but it cannot monitor each and every incident sitting here.