Typed postmortem reports made mandatory for hospitals

The notification also stated that hospitals with postmortem centres attached to them must issue typed postmortem reports and a copy of it must be given to all concerned. The government has asked all hospitals to take a serious note of the direction and made it clear that under no circumstances a handwritten postmortem report should be issued. The hospitals have also been asked to ensure that their doctors strictly implement the notification and issue all medico-legal documents in a form that can be easily read.

In 2008, radiologist was pulled up for illegible handwriting

In November 2008, the Bombay High Court had asked a radiologist from the Thane civil hospital to come before the court after it was unable to decipher an ossification test report submitted by her. The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the father of a teenaged girl who had allegedly eloped and married. The court had directed an ossification test to be conducted in order to ascertain whether or not the girl was above 18 years of age, based on which it would decide if her father was entitled to seek her custody. Upon receiving the ossification test report, the judges were peeved and asked for the doctor to be present before the court. The court reprimanded her for her illegible handwriting as a result of which precious judicial time was wasted. A day later, the doctor submitted an affidavit apologising to the court and stating, under oath, that she would not submit illegible reports in future.