Supreme Court Issues Notice To Centre On Plea Challenging Disinvestment Of HLL Life Care Ltd

The Supreme Court, on Friday, issued notice in a plea challenging the disinvestment process of HLL Life Care. Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL), a Central Public Sector Enterprise, incorporated in the year 1996, was nominated by the Ministry of Health And Family Welfare, Govt. of India, in March, 2020, to act as a nodal agency for procurement and supply of vaccines, PPE kits and other emergency medical items. It is also the first public sector enterprise in India to get ICMR approval for manufacturing and supplying Rapid Antibody kit for detection of COVID-19 virus.

The petition filed by the NGO Sabka Sahyog Society was listed before a Bench comprising Justices Abdul Nazeer and V. Ramasubramanian.

The petition argues that the decision of the Union Government to disinvest and allow privatization of HLL is illegal and unconstitutional and it defeats the purpose for which it was set up in the first place. The disinvestment would have an adverse impact on the right to health of those who are dependent on HLL for supply of affordable medicines.

As per the petition, HLL having immensely contributed in the vaccination drive, the country cannot afford its privatization, especially when the said drive is still underway and the country, much like the world, is still fighting the virus.

Apart from its service during the pandemic, it has always played a proactive role in providing emergency medical reliefs during natural calamities like, the Tsunami hitting Andaman Nicobar Islands and the series of devastating deluges in J&K, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. HLL has also been instrumental in implementation of Reproduction and child health, HIV AIDS Prevention, Care and Support programmes.

The Petitioners were represented by Senior Advocate, Mr. Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Dubey Law Chambers.

[Case Title: Sabka Sahog Society v. Union of India And Ors. W.P.(C) No. 441/2022]

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