The Indian healthcare system stands at a constitutional crossroads. A recent plea by the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) before the Supreme Court seeking the exclusion of medical professionals from the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act has reignited a long-standing debate: Should doctors be treated as service providers under consumer law?

The Petition challenges the decades-old legal position that allows patients to sue doctors and hospitals before consumer forums for medical negligence. At stake is not merely statutory interpretation — but the very nature of the doctor–patient relationship. The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Union Government of India and the National Medical Commission on a Petition seeking a declaration that doctors and healthcare service providers do not fall within the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

The legal background:........

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