HC query on refund of excess billing by hospitals

Court tells Health Director to appear for virtual hearing

Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed Public Health Director G. Srinivasa Rao to appear for Wednesday’s virtual hearing of the batch of PIL petitions related to COVID-19 to explain actions initiated by the government over the court’s earlier directions in those pleas. The batch of PIL petitions were scheduled for hearing on Tuesday. The petitioners were heard last time on May 17, with the bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy passing a slew of directions to the government on different aspects relating to COVID-19 management including the government’s preparedness for the third wave of the virus. When the bench resumed hearing on Tuesday seeking explanations on different isuses, Advocate General B.S. Prasad informed the court that Mr. Srinivasa Rao could not attend the hearing as he had rushed to Khammam district on COVID-19 related issues. With the AG replying to the CJ that he would secure instructions from the government over the queries posed by the bench, the CJ said it would prefer to defer the hearing to Wednesday making it clear that Mr. Rao should appear virtually since he was in-charge of the subject.