The Supreme Court Bar Association Passes A Resolution Condemning The Failure of The Supreme Court Security Staff And The Medical Personnel.

The Supreme Court Bar Association Passes A Resolution Condemning The Failure of The Supreme Court Security Staff And The Medical Personnel.

-Ashika Jain

Within the complex of India’s topmost court, the Supreme Court, 80-year-old lawyer, Mr. SK Dhingra, passed away on July 8, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Advocate Shefali Mitra alleged that he was unable to avail of any kind of medical assistance from the government dispensary situated within the court as there was no doctor present.

The association has urged the Chief Justice of India to ensure that this kind of accident does not occur again in the future and every type of essentials should be available to the NDMC clinic, to help all the needy persons from within the Court premises. Trained doctors with competent medical staff including an ambulance should be available in the clinics all the time.

In the SCBA office, every type of life-saving drug for emergencies should be available and also in all the appropriate places in Chamber Blocks with the consultation of doctors, as they are very concerned about this matter.

At the time when he suffered from cardiac arrest, he was in his chamber within the Supreme Court premises and his clerk immediately called Supreme Court dispensary for the doctor but he got to know that there was no doctors was available. The clerk also called Mr. Dhingra’s daughter, advocate Shefali Mitra who immediately rushed to the court.

She was repeatedly asking for doctors and dialing an emergency number to get some help from there but no doctor was there, she also asked them for Sorbitrate, the medication used for emergencies when there is a heart-related issue but no relief was available as the clinic was out of every essential medication and also doctors.

Upon reaching Supreme Court, she tried to enter from Gate B, which was the nearest gate from her route but she was not allowed to do so as the guards were standing over there who stopped her because the Gate was the ‘Exit’ gate, not meant for car entries. Even after seeing and listening to all the situations the guards still stopped her from entering as they do not want to break the protocol and asked her to drive in through the other gate. The other gate was bent away with a traffic signal on the way, which usually experiences a great deal of traffic but as she was not allowed to enter she had to go through that way and due to which those precious 20 minutes of his father’s life which could have been a lifesaver for him got wasted.

The advocate who practiced for over 50 years, died on the premises of the country’s highest Court, without any medical assistance. No doctors, no medication, no emergency staff was available for him for almost an hour. His death raises huge concerns on the preparedness of the Top Court to handle medical emergencies, and the lack of sensitization of the staff deployed in the court premises.

Advocate Shefali Mitra stated that his father gave more than half years of his life to this Court and in return what he got is shameful, the lack of emergency medical services and administration of the Supreme Court must bear the responsibility of his father’s passing. His father lost his life due to the unavailability of essential medical facilities which is very shameful for the Topmost Court of India.

The Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association (SCAORA) had passed a Resolution, yesterday. They demanded the time-bound inquiry for the allegations of medical negligence and a Standard Operating Procedure to be put in place and that security guard also be sensitized to deal with the situations involving medical emergencies as it is a matter of life and death.