3 min readChandigarhMay 2, 2025 01:14 PM IST
First published on: May 2, 2025 at 01:09 PM IST
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Thursday directed the chief secretary of Punjab and the managing director of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to file affidavits clarifying whether an automatic switch-over power backup system has been installed at government-run Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.
The bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel passed the order on an application by advocate Sunaina seeking revival of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which was originally disposed of on February 25 after the state government submitted an affidavit claiming compliance with the demand for uninterrupted power supply in government hospitals.
Sunaina, appearing in person, contended that despite Punjab’s assurances, a major power failure occurred at Rajindra Hospital on April 15, affecting the maternity ward and operation theatre.
She alleged that no automatic backup system was activated, nor did the staff manually switch on the generator, revealing that no switch-over system had been installed as claimed earlier.
In the affidavit submitted before the court in February, K A P Sinha, Chief Secretary, Punjab, assured that switch-over mechanisms were either already installed or would be installed by March 1 across the hospital blocks.
The petitioner argued that those statements were made merely as “paper formalities” to get the PIL disposed of.
Taking note of the allegations and recurrence of the issue, the High Court directed the two top officials to respond specifically on the existence and functioning of the backup system.
“Let an affidavit by the Managing Director of the PSPCL and the Chief Secretary of the State of Punjab be filed in response to the present application, especially on the point as to whether the automatic switch-over backup has been installed at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala or not. If yes, then how and if no, then why,” said Justice Nagu.
The matter will next be heard on May 19.
The original petition had sought a writ of mandamus to ensure a 24/7 uninterrupted power supply, backed by an automatic switch-over system, in all government and semi-government hospitals across Punjab, with particular focus on Rajindra Hospital.
A mandamus is a court order directing a public official to perform a mandatory duty.
The court noted that the term, as used in Punjab, had come to denote private muscle power beyond legal bounds. (Source: File) 
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