In a significant move to reduce patient harassment and expedite criminal investigations, the Punjab Health Department has directed all government doctors to submit medico-legal reports (MLRs), including supporting documents such as X-rays, CT scans, and other diagnostic results, to the investigating officer (IO) within 48 hours of their preparation.
The order was issued following a strong observation made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 7, 2025. The court criticised delays in handing over medico-legal documentation to police authorities, noting that such lapses often obstruct investigations and cause distress to victims, especially in assault and accident cases.
In its directive, the High Court stated, “All doctors posted in government hospitals and medical colleges in Punjab must hand over X-ray, CT scan and other reports to the investigating officer against a receipt, within two days of preparing the report. Failure to do so will empower the investigating officer to initiate legal action for non-cooperation in the investigation.”
Acting on this, Punjab’s Health Secretary has formally issued instructions to heads of all government medical institutions, warning that any failure to comply will invite disciplinary proceedings and possible legal action.
The order has stirred debate among medical professionals. While patient rights activists and legal experts have welcomed the move, many government doctors are pushing back, citing infrastructural challenges and manpower shortages.
At the centre of the issue are cases like that of a patient from Samana town who recently had to wait nearly a week to receive a crucial CT scan report at Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, delaying a criminal investigation. Such instances, the court noted, are not isolated.
Medical staff, however, say the demands are unrealistic without systemic upgrades. Dr Mehtab Bal, a member of the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), remarked, “We are operating under immense pressure with limited staff and outdated equipment. Emergency cases naturally take precedence. Many district-level facilities don’t even have CT or MRI machines, so everything is referred to tertiary centres like Rajindra, causing unavoidable delays.”
Adding fuel to the controversy, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), a body representing government doctors, has announced plans to challenge both the court ruling and the administrative order. PCMSA state president Dr Akhil Sarin confirmed that a 10-member legal committee has been formed to contest the directive in the high court.
“We’re not against accountability,” said Dr Sarin, “but the infrastructure doesn’t support such rigid timelines. We demand immediate recruitment of computer operators and an overhaul of medico-legal documentation software to streamline the process.”
The association has also called for a meeting with senior officials from the health and home departments to press for logistical and technological support, arguing that the success of the directive depends on backend readiness.
Meanwhile, the Health Department is firm on its position, emphasising that delayed medical reports can jeopardise justice for victims and derail critical criminal investigations.
While the legal battle may play out in the coming weeks, the issue has brought to light longstanding problems in Punjab’s public healthcare infrastructure and the fragile intersection between medical bureaucracy and criminal justice.