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The Supreme Court of India has directed Indraprastha Apollo Hospital to submit its response to a Delhi government report that found serious breaches of the land lease conditions related to the treatment of poor patients. The court’s directive comes after an expert committee revealed significant non-compliance with the hospital’s legal obligations under its land lease agreement. Background of the Case The matter originates from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the All India Lawyers Union before the Delhi High Court , alleging that Apollo Hospital failed to provide free medical facilities to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) patients as mandated under the lease terms. The Delhi High Court, in its 2009 judgment , had directed Apollo Hospital to comply with the conditions of its lease deed, which required the hospital to reserve a fixed quota of free medical services for underprivileged patients. Dissatisfied with the High Court’s order, the hospital—operated by Indr...

Supreme Court on Pollution and Health: "No Religion Encourages Activities that Harm Public Health" In a recent hearing addressing rising pollution levels in Delhi, particularly following Diwali celebrations, the Supreme Court of India underscored that the right to live in a pollution-free environment  is a fundamental right enshrined under Article 21  of the Indian Constitution. Highlighting that no religious doctrine advocates for activities that compromise public health, the Court questioned the lack of effective enforcement of the firecracker ban in the capital. Supreme Court’s Emphasis on Public Health Over Festive Pollution A bench led by Justices Abhay S. Oka and Augustine George Masih reiterated that every citizen has a fundamental right to health and a clean environment, which cannot be compromised by pollution-causing festivities. “No religion encourages any activity that creates pollution or harms health,” remarked the bench, stressing that pollution affects every...