Court to Hear Critical Petition on Cough Syrup Deaths

On October 10, 2025, the Supreme Court of India agreed to urgently hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) calling for a thorough, court-monitored investigation into the tragic deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan caused by toxic cough syrups. The petition requests the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over all pending cases and investigations from multiple states to ensure a uniform probe overseen by a retired Supreme Court judge.

The plea highlights systemic failures in drug safety regulation that allowed repeated circulation of hazardous medicine formulations, resulting in multiple fatalities. It also seeks the establishment of a National Judicial Commission or Expert Committee to supervise the probe, aiming to restore trust in drug safety enforcement. Additionally, the petition demands mandatory toxicological testing of suspect pharmaceutical products before further sale or export, conducted only through NABL-accredited laboratories.

The deaths began in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, spreading to adjacent districts, with 21 children reported fatally affected and others critically ill.

Supreme Court Directs Free Legal Aid for Voters Excluded in Bihar’s SIR List

In a related directive aimed at safeguarding electoral rights, the Supreme Court ordered Bihar authorities to provide free legal aid to an estimated 3.7 lakh voters excluded from the state’s draft electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Court’s bench instructed the Bihar State Legal Services Authority to mobilize paralegal volunteers and free legal counsel to assist affected individuals in filing appeals, ensuring their opportunity to contest exclusion before the Election Commission.

Authorities have been asked to widely publicize contact numbers of legal aid volunteers at local levels and to promptly notify excluded voters about their right to appeal. The court stressed the urgency of these measures given the approaching Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for November 2025.

Significance and Impact

• The Supreme Court’s hearing is a crucial step toward systemic reforms in India’s pharmaceutical regulatory framework in response to recent public health tragedies.
• Providing free legal aid empowers disenfranchised voters, helping uphold democratic participation and legal equity in Bihar’s election process.
• The directives reflect the judiciary’s proactive role in addressing urgent public interest concerns affecting health and civil rights.