Supreme Court Asks Centre Response On Plea To Fix RT-PCR Tests For COVID-19 At Rs 400

New Delhi: A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde on Tuesday sought a response from the Central government on a plea seeking directions to cap the cost of RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 suspected infections at Rs 400 across the country.

The apex court asked the Union of India (UOI) to file its response on the petition filed by advocate Ajay Agrawal, ZeeNews reported.

The plea claimed that different rates are being charged across the country whereas the cost of the test actually works at just Rs 200. It said the cost of RT-PCR test was fixed between Rs 900 to Rs 2,800 by various state governments, Union Territories and NCT of Delhi, the report added.

“There is a big loot by laboratories and they are minting money to the tune of crores and crores of rupees. The margin of profit is so high as it is as high as 1,400 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 1,200 per cent in Delhi,” the plea said.

“The matter is concerned with 135 crore citizens of the country as everybody is worried with the coronavirus and forced to get their test done at this exorbitant price,” it added, ZeeNews reported.