Right to Emergency Care: SC Elevates Trauma Response to a Fundamental Right
GS2
The Supreme Court has declared timely medical care during the 'Golden Hour' a fundamental right under Article 21. The ruling mandates a unified '112' helpline and the nationwide rollout of the PM RAHAT scheme for cashless accident treatment.
In a transformative expansion of the Right to Life, the Supreme Court of India has explicitly recognized the right to timely medical treatment during the 'Golden Hour' as a fundamental right under Article 21. This landmark directive addresses a critical gap in India’s emergency response framework, where road traffic accidents claim thousands of lives annually due to delays in medical intervention and administrative hurdles.
The Court’s ruling emphasizes that the state’s obligation to preserve life is paramount and cannot be constrained by financial or jurisdictional barriers. To operationalize this right, the Bench issued two significant mandates. First, it ordered the immediate integration of all disparate emergency helplines into the unified '112' Emergency Response Support System (ERSS). This move aims to eliminate confusion and reduce response times by creating a single, technology-driven point of contact for all medical emergencies nationwide.
Continue reading — free with login
JeetoBharat publishes daily UPSC current affairs mapped to the Mains syllabus. Log in to read full articles.
Log in to read full articleNo credit card required. Free registered users get unlimited access.
This article was curated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical facts from official sources.