HC seeks Kerala govt stand on plea against slashing of RTPCR test prices

The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought response of the state government on a plea by private testing laboratories challenging the decision to slash prices of RTPCR and Rapid Antigen tests to Rs 300 and Rs 100, respectively.

The earlier prices of RTPCR and Rapid Antigen tests were Rs 500 and Rs 300, respectively and these were reduced by the state government on February 9.

Justice N Nagaresh admitted the petition moved by Accredited Molecular Testing Laboratories Association and issued notice to the state government directing it to file a counter affidavit in response to the plea.

With the direction, the court listed the matter for hearing on March 4.

The private labs had earlier challenged the state government’s April last year decision to cap RT-PCR rates at Rs 500 and the high court had set it aside in October last year.

The court, while setting aside the cap on test prices, had asked the government to fix the rates after also hearing the private labs’ concerns.

The labs have claimed in their latest plea that their concerns have not been considered while slashing the test prices.