Group Mediclaim Insurance: HC issues notice to Chief Secy, Principal Secy Fin

JAMMU: The State High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Chief Secretary and Principal Seceratry Finance Department, after hearing a petition seeking quashing of state government’s ambitious Group Mediclaim Insurance Policy for its employees.

The Government had recently rolled out the said Policy for all its employees on mandatory basis and, Pensioners and Adhoc/casual workers on optional basis , providing health insurance coverage up to Rs 6 lakh along with his/her five dependent family members effective from the month of October.

For the said policy, the government had tied up with M/s Reliance General lnsurance Company Ltd on annual premium of Rs 8,777 and Rs 22,229, for employees and pensioners, respectively.

However, one Gulbadin Ahmad Mir filed a petition in the J&K High Court seeking quashing of scheme, contending that making it mandatory is a violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

“Furthermore since most of the stake holders reside in the state of J&K but unfortunately there are only two hospitals (clinics in essence) empanelled at Srinagar and very few at Jammu which defeats the purpose of the scheme,” the petitioner had submitted.

The Court after hearing counsel for the petitioner issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Finance Secy & Ors returnable within one week.