Supreme Court Issues Contempt Notices To States/UTs For Defying Orders On Formulating ICU/CCU Healthcare Standards

The Supreme Court on Monday (October 13) issued contempt notices and summoned the concerned Additional Chief Secretary or the senior-most health officials of 28 States and Union Territories for their "casual" failure to comply with the Court's directives on formulating nationwide standards for Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Critical Care Units (CCUs).

A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and N Kotiswar Singh asked all the concerned officers to appear on Nov. 20, 2025, before the Court, along with an affidavit showcasing why an action should not be taken against them for their casual approach towards the Court's orders. It added that no excuse of officer's prior engagement or meetings shall be taken into account to postpone the hearing.

“notice is issued to the concerned Additional Chief Secretary/Senior-most Official of the Department of Health of all the concerned States/Union Territories (UTs), as to why action be not taken against them for such casual approach shown towards the Court. The said officers shall remain personally present before this Court, along with their personally affirmed show cause affidavits, on the next date of hearing, i.e., 20.11.2025.”, the Court said.

Further, the Court asked the States/UTs to submit the report by November 20, 2025, failing which strict actions would be taken against the concerned officers of the States/UTs in general.

“We also make it clear that if, by the said date, there is noncompliance or if compliance is casual or by way of a perfunctory report, this Court would take a very strict view against the officers concerned and the States/UTs in general.”, the court said.

Background

The case stems from a 2016 medical negligence dispute, where the case was dismissed on the merits. However, recognizing the systemic issues plaguing India's healthcare, the Supreme Court transformed it into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), aiming to establish uniform, feasible, and practicable standards for the operation of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Critical Care Units (CCUs) across the country.

It may be recalled that on August 19, 2025, the Court had mandated a massive, multi-stakeholder exercise. It directed all State Governments and the Union Territory administrations to convene regional conferences involving public and private healthcare experts to draft minimum standardized procedures for critical care. These reports were to be submitted to a central committee for synthesis.

Most states failed to act despite a clear deadline of September 30, 2025, for completing the exercise and October 5, 2025, for submitting reports.

During a hearing on September 18, 2025, the Court had already noted the central government's compliance but the absence of any state reports. At that time, the Court extended the deadline with a warning of "consequences," while also taking the crucial step of co-opting Dr. Nitish Naik, a senior cardiology professor from AIIMS Delhi, into a three-member expert committee alongside Additional Solicitor General Ms. Aishwarya Bhati and Amicus Curiae Mr. Karan Bharihoke.

The hearing on October 13, 2025, was convened specifically to address this continued defiance, where the Court was informed that about 28 States and UTs have not filed their reports in compliance with its earlier directives. Expressing displeasure with the States'/UTs' casualness, the Court observed:

“We are more pained than shocked by the casualness shown by various States, that despite over indulgence shown by the Court with regard to the exercise, the orders of this Court have been taken very lightly by the officers concerned.”

The Court was informed that the following States/Union Territories have either not submitted the report or have submitted it beyond the fixed date i.e., 05.10.2025: -

i. Arunachal Pradesh

ii. Assam

iii. Chhattisgarh

iv. Goa

v. Gujarat

vi. Himachal Pradesh

vii. Jharkhand

viii. Karnataka

ix. Kerala

x. Madhya Pradesh

xi. Maharashtra

xii. Manipur

xiii. Mizoram

xiv. Odisha

xv. Punjab

xvi. Rajasthan

xvii. Sikkim

xviii. Telangana

xix. Tripura

xx. West Bengal

xxi. Chandigarh

xxii. NCT Delhi

xxiii. Jammu and Kashmir

xxiv. Puducherry

xxv. Lakshadweep

xxvi. Ladakh

xxvii. Andaman and Nicobar

xxviii. Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu

Cause Title: ASIT BARAN MONDAL & ANR. VERSUS DR. RITA SINHA MBBS MS (OBST. GYNAE) & ORS.

Click here to read/download the order