The Orissa High Court has issued a unique directive, instructing the Chief Secretary of the Government of Odisha to ensure that all doctors across the state maintain legible handwriting or write in capital letters when preparing medical prescriptions, post-mortem reports, and other medico-legal documents.

Dr. Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi, presiding as a single bench, noted the challenges faced by judicial officers in deciphering the perplexing "zigzag handwriting" commonly found in doctors' documents.

Case Brief:

During the proceedings, the Court addressed a case brought forth by Rasananda Bhoi, who had filed a writ petition. He sought the Court's direction for the State to grant him ex-gratia compensation following the death of his son due to a snakebite.

In an earlier ruling, the Court had instructed the doctor responsible for conducting the post-mortem examination on the deceased individual to participate in virtual proceedings and provide their expert opinion regarding the cause of death.

Following the court's directive, the doctor attended the virtual session and shared their opinion as required. Unfortunately, despite their compliance, the Court encountered difficulty in deciphering the opinion due to illegible handwriting, rendering it incomprehensible.

The Court highlighted that the opinion provided by the doctor was placed under the section titled "MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INJURY OR DISEASE." However, the content inscribed was illegible and beyond comprehension through normal reading. The Court expressed the need for either the writer's assistance or the intervention of a handwriting expert to decipher the description accurately.

Expressing frustration at the prevailing trend among doctors to use informal and illegible handwriting, the Court noted that the habit of employing such indecipherable "zigzag" writing had unfortunately become a trend within the medical community in the State. This practice, making it impossible for both laypeople and judicial officers to interpret, was highlighted as a concerning fashion among doctors.

Acknowledging the demanding schedules and significant contributions of doctors, especially during the pandemic and other medical crises, the Court recognized their dedication to public service. However, despite these challenges, the Court emphasized the importance for doctors to pay attention to their handwriting when providing prescriptions or opinions, considering its critical impact on comprehension and effective communication.

Upon reviewing the contents of the opinion sheet presented by the doctor, the Court conclusively determined that the petitioner's son had indeed succumbed to a snakebite. Consequently, the Court issued directions for the petitioner to approach the relevant Tahsildar in order to seek the entitled compensation amount.