The Karnataka High Court's decision to quash a state government order directing the closure of Jan Aushadhi Kendras operating on government hospital premises has ignited a significant political controversy. The ruling, delivered recently, has drawn sharp reactions from both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP, setting the stage for a legal and political battle over access to affordable medicines.
Court's Verdict: A Rebuke to the State Government
In a strongly worded order, the Karnataka High Court struck down the government's directive to shut down the subsidised medicine shops. The court found the abrupt closure order, issued without demonstrating clear public interest, to be a violation of the petitioners' legitimate expectations and Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.
The bench made a crucial observation, noting, "The State proclaims its commitment to free medicine. If medicines are indeed freely and adequately available, no patient would voluntarily purchase them from the Kendra." The court emphasized that public interest should guide politics, not the other way around, implicitly criticizing the government's move.
The Core of the Dispute: Free vs. Subsidised Medicine
The legal battle centered on the operation of these kendras within state-run hospital campuses. Petitioners argued that the government was creating confusion by projecting that medicines in its hospitals were free, even as patients obtained them from Jan Aushadhi outlets. They contended the closure was arbitrary.
The state government, defending its order, maintained that the move was intended to eliminate this confusion and ensure a completely free medicine supply system through its own channels. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated, "If it is free, it must be completely free. There should not be a system where doctors prescribe medicines to be bought outside."
Political Reactions and the Road Ahead
The court order has quickly become a political flashpoint. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya labeled the original closure order as "politically motivated" and called it a setback for the Congress government, urging that political vendetta should not hinder public interest.
On December 20, 2025, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced the government's firm intention to challenge the High Court's order in a higher forum. This sets the scene for an extended legal confrontation over the future of the scheme in Karnataka.
Jan Aushadhi Kendras, part of the central government's Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana launched in 2008, provide generic drugs at significantly lower prices. With over 14,000 centres nationwide, they are a critical pillar of affordable healthcare access. The Karnataka HC's intervention underscores the tension between state and central health welfare models and the primacy of patient choice and interest in such debates.
