Supreme Court Summons Union Transport Ministry Officials Over Delay in Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, April  10,  2025, Kolkata : The Supreme Court has taken strong action against the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for failing to implement a cashless medical treatment facility for victims of road accidents, despite a clear deadline set for March 14, 2025. In a scathing remark, the court emphasized that disobeying its orders is a serious violation of the law, and summoned senior officials from the Ministry, including the Secretary, to explain the delay.

The Court had previously directed the central government to create a scheme that would ensure immediate, cashless treatment for accident victims within the critical "golden hour" period, a term defined under Section 2(12-A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This period is crucial as timely medical intervention can often be the difference between life and death following a traumatic injury. The Court’s directive aimed to safeguard the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

However, despite the government’s initial promise, the deadline passed with no visible progress, prompting the Supreme Court to take a stern stance. Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, who presided over the case, expressed frustration over the delay. "This is a serious breach not only of the orders of this court but also of a legislation that is meant to benefit the public. It is unacceptable that lives are being lost simply because there is no cashless treatment facility for accident victims," the bench remarked.

The bench also pointed out that such delays are often only addressed when high-ranking officials are summoned to appear in court, highlighting a pattern of negligence from the government. "When we summon top officials, only then do they take our orders seriously," the court observed. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjeet Banerjee, representing the Centre, attributed the delay to "bottlenecks," but the bench was resolute in its demand for action.

In response, the court issued a firm warning, stating that if the government did not implement the cashless scheme immediately, it would take contempt of court action. The Union Transport Secretary and other senior officials have been ordered to appear before the Court on April 28, 2025, via video conferencing, to provide an explanation for their failure to comply with the Court’s directive.

The Court also instructed the Transport Ministry to issue formal instructions to district magistrates across the country to ensure that claims for "hit-and-run" cases are uploaded to the General Insurance Council (GIC) portal, which is part of the framework for providing cashless medical treatment under the scheme.

On January 8, 2025, the Supreme Court had given the Union Government until March 14, 2025, to implement the scheme, citing Section 162(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act. This section mandates insurance companies to cover the treatment of road accident victims during the golden hour period, which the Court emphasized is crucial in preventing fatalities.

The Court’s intervention is seen as a crucial step toward ensuring that road accident victims receive prompt and necessary medical care, particularly in the early moments after an accident, when every second counts. As the case continues, all eyes will be on the government’s response and whether it can deliver on its promise to protect the lives of accident victims across the country.