Supreme Court to hear plea against Kerala High Court norms to clinical establishments

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 16, 2025) decided to entertain a petition against a Kerala High Court direction to clinical establishments to prominently display a list of the services offered and package rates.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notice to the State government on a petition challenging various provisions of the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018.

Kerala Private Hospitals Association and Hussain Koya Thangal, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Zulfiker Ali P.S., had moved the apex court against the High Court’s November 26 decision. The Bench directed authorities not to take any coercive steps against the members of the association till the next date of hearing, February 3. It said the members of the association would continue getting themselves registered under Section 19 of the Act. The court also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist the court in the case.

Issuing a slew of guidelines, the High Court had said each clinical establishment shall prominently display, in Malayalam as well as in English, at the reception or admission desk and on its official website a list of the services offered and the baseline and package rates for commonly performed procedures, with a note that unforeseen complications or additional procedures shall be itemised.

Besides other guidelines, it had directed clinical establishments to maintain a grievance desk or helpline and register every complaint with a unique reference number, issuing an acknowledgement immediately through text messages, WhatsApp or in the physical form.