Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 11: The Supreme Court on Thursday held that families of private doctors and health professionals who died while serving during the Covid-19 pandemic cannot be denied coverage under the Centre’s Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme, ruling that the absence of formal requisition orders cannot be used to exclude them.

A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan delivered the judgment while hearing an appeal filed by the widow of Dr. B.S. Surgade, a private practitioner who continued treating patients during the lockdown and died of Covid-19 in June 2020. The Bombay High Court had earlier rejected her plea on the ground that his services were not officially “requisitioned” for Covid duty under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) insurance package.

Setting aside that view, the Supreme Court said that the early months of the pandemic demanded an expansive and realistic interpretation of “requisition”, noting that insisting on individual appointment or deployment orders would amount to a “hyper-technical” and unfair approach. The Bench pointed to central notifications launching the PMGKY scheme and local directives requiring clinics and dispensaries to stay open as part of the emergency response.

The judges observed that the regulatory framework at the time “was intended to leave no stone unturned in requisitioning the doctors”, and that the insurance scheme itself was designed to reassure frontline health workers that the nation stood firmly behind them.

However, the Court stressed that eligibility under the PMGKY remains dependent on facts. Once requisition is broadly established, each claim must still be supported by clear proof that the deceased contracted Covid-19 while performing Covid-related duties. The Bench clarified that it was not examining the merits of individual cases, which must be evaluated separately by the concerned authorities.

The claimant bears the responsibility of proving that the death occurred in the course of Covid-19 duty, the Court noted, emphasising that such evidence must be credible and specific.

Reflecting on the toll of the pandemic, the judgment acknowledged the extraordinary burden placed on healthcare systems worldwide. Despite the unprecedented pressure, the Bench said, “our doctors and health professionals rose as unwavering heroes, turning challenges into courage.”