'Landmark reform': Delhi govt says postmortems to be conducted even after sunset in city's govt hospitals

Postmortems after sunset: Terming it a "landmark reform," the Delhi government, on Tuesday, said that postmortems can now be conducted in the city even after sunset. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has directed the Delhi government hospitals to ensure all necessary infrastructure at mortuaries.

However, a provision has been made to only examine the dead bodies during the day in cases where there is a suspicion of murder, suicide, rape, or foul play, he added.

According to a statement from the Deputy Chief Minister's office, video recording of all postmortems will be done throughout the night and it will be preserved for future reference and legal purposes.

Autopsy related to organ donation will be given priority

"Enabling a landmark reform in the national capital, the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has made postmortem of bodies possible even after sunset in Delhi," the statement further read.

This would stimulate organ donation and transplantation as well as improve the situation for bereaved family members who frequently have to wait a long time to get the bodies. The statement also laid out that postmortem cases related to organ donation will be done on a priority basis.

According to Sisodia's office, the Delhi administration had sent a proposal to the central government for approval to conduct postmortems in hospitals after sunset.

Dead bodies for autopsy to be attended immediately

"Such postmortems shall be carried out in hospitals that have adequate facilities to conduct them on a regular basis. Postmortem cases related to organ donation will be done on a priority basis. Earlier the bodies were kept safely in mortuaries during night. The bereaved relatives had to wait the whole night to claim and bury the dead. This made their pain worse. But now the dead bodies coming to the postmortem houses at night will be attended immediately," the statement added.

Sisodia, who also holds the health portfolio, directed officials in the Delhi health department for conducting postmortems even at night in hospitals with adequate facilities. Besides, he also asked hospitals' in-charges to ensure all necessary infrastructure at morgues, according to the statement.

(With PTI inputs)