SC criticizes govt for delayed accident treatment scheme

New Delhi

In a stern rebuke to the Centre, the Supreme Court on Monday questioned the government's failure to roll out a cashless medical treatment scheme for road accident victims, despite its directive earlier this year. The Court highlighted that the delay in framing the scheme, which would provide immediate medical care for accident victims during the critical "golden hour," was putting lives at risk.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed frustration over the lack of urgency and non-compliance with its January 8 order. The bench noted that even though the Motor Vehicles Act's provisions for interim relief were active since April 2022, no effective scheme had been put in place by the government. "You’re constructing highways, but people are dying due to a lack of facilities," the Court remarked, questioning the government's commitment to welfare and public safety.

The Centre, which had earlier been given a deadline, explained that the delay stemmed from objections raised by the General Insurance Council (GIC). Despite this, the Court was adamant that the scheme be finalized and implemented without further delay. The Court directed that a draft of the scheme be submitted by May 9, 2025, stressing that every day of delay costs valuable lives.