AMBULANCE ACCESS FOUNDATION INDIA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This public interest litigation petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of mandamus directing Respondent No. 1, Respondent Nos. 2 to 13 and Respondent Nos. 27 to 44 to put in a place a transparent and fair process in awarding the contracts for running Ambulance/Emergency Response Service in their respective jurisdiction. Petitioners submit that some of the States have already entered into and/or are considering awarding the nominated contracts and /or tailor made EOI process to Respondent No. 14 to run Ambulance/Emergency Response Services in their respective jurisdictions in the name of saving human lives using funds under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) of the Union of India, which according to the petitioner will violate Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

(2.) Petitioners have stated that Respondent Nos. 2 to 9 and 12 - States have already entered into MOU with Respondent No. 14 for developing and operationalizing Ambulance/Emergency Response Service in their State. Further it is also stated that Respondent No. 13, the State of Maharashtra has approved the MOU with Respondent No. 14 without any formal competitive bidding process or any transparency whatsoever in the MOU signing process.

(3.) In response to the notice issued by this Court few States have already filed their counter affidavit/response giving reasons for entering into MOU with the 14th respondent.