SC stays Delhi HC order of asking Delhi to sign MoU with Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Delhi High Court’s order directing signing an MoU between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Delhi government for implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme in the national capital. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih issued notice and sought the Centre’s response on the plea of Delhi government challenging the High Court order.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Delhi government questioned how can the High Court force the Delhi government to sign the MoU with Centre.

He contended that if MoU signed, the government of India will bear 60 per cent of the capital expenditure and Delhi government to bear 40 per cent but Centre has to bear 0 per cent running expenditure. Singhvi claimed that the reach and coverage of Delhi government’s own scheme is much larger.

The apex court was hearing a plea of Delhi government challenging the High Court’s December 2024 order where it ordered that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital needed to sign an MoU with the Centre before January 5 for implementation of the PM-ABHIM, irrespective of imposition of Model Code of Conduct in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

The order of High Court came while dealing with a suo motu PIL initiated in 2017 concerning the concerning health infrastructure in government hospitals.

It was said that non-implementation of the PM-ABHIM Scheme in Delhi, when 33 States and Union Territories have already implemented the same, would not be justified.