KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Additional Government Advocate for the respondents. The substantive prayer made in this petition reads thus:

(2.) Our attention is invited firstly to the Government Order dated 18th August, 2014 dealing with the implementation of Jyothi Sanjeevini, a new scheme to provide cashless medical treatment to the employees of the State Government and their dependant family members from 2014-15. Our attention is also invited to the Government Order dated 20th June, 2020 issued by the Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, which deals with the treatment to be given in private hospitals to the persons infected with COVID-19. The order provides that the treatment will be provide to those who are infected with COVID-19 in the private hospitals empanelled with SUVARNA AROGYA SURAKSHA TRUST under AB-ArK scheme. The hospitals have been notified in the said order. The Government Order also lays down the authorities who can refer the cases to the private hospitals.

(3.) Apart from the statement of objections filed by the State Government, an affidavit has been filed by Shri B.S.Prashant Kumar, son of Late B.V.Sathyanarayana, Under Secretary, Medical Education Department, on behalf of the State Government which is affirmed on 14th September, 2020. Paragraph 3 of the said affidavit reads thus: