SC task force says separate law for violence against docs not required

NTF AFFIRMED THAT EXISTING STATE LAWS AND BNS PROVIDE ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.

- Utkarsh Anand

The National Task Force (NTF), constituted by the Supreme Court to propose measures for the safety of health care professionals in the aftermath of the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, has recommended against the need for a central law to address violence against medical personnel.

Instead, the NTF has affirmed that existing state legislations and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 provide adequate safeguards.

The NTF's findings, presented in a detailed report, highlight that 24 states have enacted laws addressing violence against medical professionals and health care institutions, with two more states preparing similar legislation. These laws, combined with the newly enacted BNS 2023, are deemed sufficient to address minor and major offences.

The task force said minor offences, often arising in day-to-day hospital operations, are adequately covered by state laws, which also define "health care institutions" and "medical professionals." For heinous crimes, such as those involving grievous harm or endangerment, the provisions of the BNS 2023 provide robust remedies.

In states lacking specific laws for health care professional protection, the NTF recommended immediate reliance on the BNS provisions to address acts of violence. "A separate central law to deal with offences against health care professionals is, therefore, not required," stated the report.