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In a significant ruling, the Rajasthan High Court has declared that only registered medical practitioners holding an MD in Pathology are authorized to sign or countersign medical laboratory reports. This decision aligns with the Supreme Court’s 2017 verdict, which upheld the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) directive emphasizing that only qualified pathologists can validate lab results.  

The judgment was issued in response to a plea by the Practicing Pathologists Society, which raised concerns about unqualified individuals signing laboratory reports. The society stressed the importance of adhering to MCI’s guidelines that mandate all lab reports must be certified by doctors registered with either the MCI or relevant state medical councils.  

The High Court highlighted that the Supreme Court had already provided clarity on this matter in its 2017 ruling, confirming that only postgraduates in pathology are permitted to authenticate laboratory reports. This affirmation reinforces the necessity of specialized medical expertise in diagnostic processes.  

Concluding the case, the Rajasthan High Court dismissed the petition, stating the issue had been previously resolved. However, the court allowed the petitioner to seek further legal action if evidence emerges of violations against the Supreme Court’s ruling.