Bengaluru, July 8 (IANS) The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed the orders of the state government to close Jan Aushadhi outlets operating on the premises of the government-run hospitals.

The bench headed by Justice M. I. Arun passed the order in a batch of 18 petitions filed by Janaushadhi Kendra owners, represented by a legal team led by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.

The petitioners submitted that the government had taken the decision abruptly without consultation. They claimed that the government’s order was a violation of the Right to Livelihood under Article 19 (1) (G) and the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

In a statement on the matter, Surya said: “Karnataka State Government tried desperately to shut down Jan Aushadhi Kendras – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s flagship scheme to provide high-quality generic medicines at low cost to all.”

“While I fought against this inside parliament, my office also led a legal battle. We filed writ petitions in the Karnataka High Court. The High Court has now stayed the state government’s order directing the closure of Jan Aushadhi stores in government hospitals. Big win for poor patients and their families. Good job by young advocate Anirudh Kulkarni and team, ” he stated.

Earlier in May this year, the Karnataka government ordered the shutdown of Jan Aushadhi Kendras operating inside public hospitals, citing a conflict with its endeavour to provide medicines for free within government hospitals.

In their arguments, the petitioners pointed out that in their stores, they were providing generic medicines at 50-90 per cent reduced rates, making medicines more accessible to poor patients.

They also pleaded before the bench that they had invested their hard-earned money and life savings into the shop and building a livelihood and that the decision to shut down their shop in public hospitals would cause a devastating impact on their lives.

Responding to the state government’s closure order, Surya had said: “This move of closing Jan Aushadi centres forces the poor to buy medicines at higher rates instead of availing generic medicines at 70-90 per cent reduced rates under Narendra Modi’s PMBJP scheme. This is not just denying access to essential medicines for the poor, but also choking the livelihoods of many generic store owners.”

–IANS

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