The Supreme Court unleashed a storm on Monday, calling out the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for dragging its feet on a life-or-death issue: cashless treatment for accident victims during the golden hour — those crucial first 60 minutes when swift medical help can mean survival.
A visibly angry Bench, led by Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, wasn’t having any of the excuses offered by the Ministry’s Secretary, who showed up via video call and blamed “consultations” and “bottlenecks” with the General Insurance Council (GIC) for a staggering three-year delay.
The apology offered was met with cold fury. “Firstly, remember you are in contempt. We will issue contempt notice to you first,” the Court thundered. “Are you not supposed to come to Court when you can’t comply with an order? Tell us right now — when will you frame the scheme?”
Back in December 2024, a draft was supposedly ready. Yet, endless consultations turned into an excuse factory, and today, highways remain death traps with no guaranteed immediate treatment for the injured. The Court made it crystal clear: bureaucratic stalling was no longer an option.
“You don’t even care for your own laws,” the Bench snapped. “Three years and you’re still fumbling. Are you even acting for the common man?”
When the Secretary meekly submitted that the scheme could be filed “by tomorrow,” the Court wasn’t impressed. “Three years later, you tell us about roadblocks? What was the point of enacting this provision if you didn’t plan to honor it?” the judges grilled.
The Court didn’t spare the General Insurance Council either. GIC had filed an application objecting to integration with the Transport Network System (TNS), prompting an immediate and harsh rebuke.
“It’s none of your business,” the Court shot back. “Are you withdrawing your application, or shall we impose costs?”
Under pressure, GIC’s counsel quickly sought permission to withdraw, sensing the Court’s clear impatience with yet another roadblock in getting accident victims the treatment they desperately need.
This mess stems from a petition filed by Dr. S. Rajaseekaran, who raised alarms over avoidable deaths on Indian roads. The Court had already — back on January 8 — ordered the government to create a statutory scheme under Section 162(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act by March 14, a deadline that has now sailed by.
The Motor Vehicles Act isn’t vague: it demands a scheme that guarantees cashless golden hour treatment, honoring the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. Yet even with a “concept note” floating around since early 2024, no final scheme was born.
The Court reminded everyone that this was not just a policy failure — it was a violation of fundamental constitutional obligations. Enough was enough.
If the Ministry doesn’t finally pull through, the Court warned it wouldn’t hesitate to invoke Article 142 to hammer out the scheme itself — and start contempt proceedings against officials dragging their feet.
The draft must be filed by May 9, and the case will roar back into Court on May 13. If there’s more foot-dragging, contempt actions are firmly on the table.
“While you delay,” the Court said, “people are dying.”
