Kolkata doctor murder hearing | 'Inhuman': Supreme Court on doctors' 36-hour shifts, task force asked to streamline work hours

Kolkata doctor murder hearing: The Supreme Court on Thursday described the difficult working conditions experienced by resident doctors across the country as "inhuman" and asked the 10-member National Task Force (NTF) it established earlier this week to streamline and regulate medical professionals' working hours.

“We are deeply concerned about the inhuman working hours of resident doctors across the country. Some doctors work 36-hour shifts,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said in Thursday's hearing of Kolkata doctor's brutal r@ape and murder case. “The committee appointed should look into streamlining the on-duty hours of all doctors. 36- or 48-hour shifts are just inhuman!” he further said.

The Chief Justice made the remarks while hearing a suo motu case involving the rape and murder of a postgraduate medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The bench, which also included Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed severe concern about the delays and obvious anomalies in the investigation conducted by Kolkata Police. The court considered it "extremely disturbing" that the police had not registered the case as an unnatural death.

“One aspect is extremely disturbing, the GD entry of death is recorded at 10:10 am...the securing of the crime scene, the seizures etc was done at 11:30 at night? What was happening all by then?” CJI Chandrachud questioned.

Meanwhile, CJI Chandrachud urged doctors protesting the brutal r@pe and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata to return to their duties. He assured them that no punitive measures would be taken against those who resume work.

"Let them all return to work. We will issue a general order to ensure that no adverse actions are taken against them once they resume their duties. How can the public administrative structure function if they do not return?" Chief Justice Chandrachud stated.