View of the Supreme Court. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 16, 2025) decided to hear a petition challenging the Kerala High Court order for clinical facilities to prominently display the list of services offered and package prices.
A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued a notice to the state government on a petition challenging various provisions of the Kerala Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2018.
The Kerala Private Hospitals Association and Hussain Koya Thangal, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Zulfiker Ali PS, moved the apex court against the November 26 Supreme Court order. The bench directed the authorities not to take any enforcement action against the members of the association till the next hearing on February 3. Members of the association will continue to register according to § 19 of the Act. The court also asked Advocate General Tushar Mehta to assist the court in the case.
The Supreme Court issued a series of directions and said that every clinical facility must prominently display in Malayalam as well as in English the list of services offered and the basic and package rates for commonly performed procedures with a note that unforeseen complications or additional procedures must be itemized at the reception desk or admission counter and on its official website.
Among other directions, it directed the clinical facilities to maintain a complaint counter or helpline and register each complaint with a unique reference number and immediately issue confirmation through text messages, WhatsApp or in physical form.
Published – 16 Dec 2025 22:37 IST
