Aastha Pareek
The Gujarat High Court on February 5, 2025, disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning the registration of clinical establishments in the state. The Petition, filed in 2024, sought judicial intervention in the implementation of the Gujarat Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2021, and the Rules framed thereunder in 2024. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi assessed the State Government’s progress in enforcing the Act and noted significant compliance efforts.
The Court was informed through an affidavit filed by the Under Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Gujarat, that the selection and appointment of the remaining members of the District Registering Authorities had been completed, thereby ensuring the establishment of these authorities in every district for the purpose of clinical establishment registration. It was further brought to the Court’s attention that approximately 14,000 applications for provisional registration had been received, and as of the date of the order, 12,403 clinical establishments had already been provisionally registered.
Considering the substantial progress made, the court found no justification to keep the PIL pending and accordingly disposed of the petition. However, it emphasized the need for strict enforcement of the Act and the rules framed thereunder. The Bench directed the competent authority to ensure effective implementation by undertaking necessary regulatory measures, thereby reinforcing the state’s commitment to maintaining transparency and compliance within the healthcare sector.