The Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has stayed the suspension of Shifa Medical Centre and Florence Hospital under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
The suspensions, issued by the State Health Agency (SHA) on January 11, 2025, were challenged on grounds of procedural lapses and denial of natural justice.
Justice Muhammad Yousuf Wani as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust ordered the suspension to be kept in abeyance until the next hearing on February 7, 2025.
The court directed the SHA to conduct a fresh inquiry, providing the hospitals with two weeks to respond to the show-cause notices dated December 18, 2024.
The hospitals had been accused of coercing patients into paying extra charges and violating scheme guidelines.
While the SHA defended its actions citing complaints and inspections, the court highlighted procedural irregularities and emphasized the need for fairness in disciplinary actions. [KNT]