Patna: The Patna High Court has taken a stern view of unregistered clinics and nursing homes operating across Bihar, directing the state government to urgently enforce regulatory norms for small healthcare facilities.
A bench led by Justice Rajiv Rai said that “every human life is precious” and made it clear that irregularities in healthcare services would not be tolerated.
Court Flags Illegal Operations
The observations came during the hearing of a case involving the sealing of an unlicensed paralysis and polio centre in Vaishali.
According to officials, the facility was operating without registration and lacked qualified medical staff.
The court was informed that a fine of Rs 1 lakh had been imposed and a case registered against those responsible.
Concern Over Widespread Violations
The court also referred to a case in Bhojpur, where an inquiry following a patient’s death found that 81 nursing homes were functioning illegally.
Judges expressed concern over the scale of such violations and the risks posed to public health.
Policy For Small Hospitals
The state government told the court that a policy to regulate hospitals with 1 to 40 beds is in its final stages.
Officials said a committee led by Dr Rekha Jha submitted its report in February 2026, and the draft has cleared legal review and is currently under consideration by the finance department.
A temporary exemption had earlier been granted to such hospitals under a notification issued in March 2025.
Directions To Government
The high court has directed the health department to expedite the process and submit a progress report by the next hearing.
It emphasised that effective regulation is essential to ensure safe and accountable healthcare services across the state.
