RG Kar case: Suggestions to prevent gender-based violence, enhancing safety for doctors to be submitted to NTF, says SC

The Supreme Court on Tuesday instructed involved parties to submit suggestions to a national task force (NTF) on preventing gender-based violence and enhancing safety for doctors and hospital staff.
The NTF will report back to the court within 12 weeks, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stated. The court will review the report the week of March 17, 2025.
The task force was established on August 20 following the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The court created the NTF to develop safety protocols for medical professionals.
The court said the case's next hearing is scheduled for the week of March 17, 2025, but added that “the parties could seek an earlier hearing if the rape and murder trial of the case was delayed.”
In November, the NTF, reporting through a Central government affidavit, concluded that a separate central law for offences against healthcare workers was unnecessary, citing existing state laws and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as sufficient.
The task force noted 24 states have laws addressing violence against healthcare professionals, with two more states having introduced related bills. On September 17, the Supreme Court expressed concern over findings in a CBI status report on the Kolkata case, declining to elaborate to avoid jeopardizing the investigation.