New Delhi, August 11, 2026 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the 19 remaining States and Union Territories to consider declaring cancer a “notifiable disease”, stressing the need for uniform reporting, early detection and better patient care across the country.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued the direction after being informed that 17 of India’s 36 States and UTs have already notified cancer as a notifiable disease, following recommendations of a Parliamentary Standing Committee.
SC Seeks Uniform Policy
During the hearing, the bench questioned the Centre on why mandatory guidelines had not been issued for all States and UTs to ensure a uniform approach.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik, appearing for the Centre, submitted that health is primarily a State subject and pointed out that 17 States had already notified cancer.
The Supreme Court directed the remaining States and UTs to consider the recommendations and take appropriate decisions, with compliance affidavits to be filed before the court.
PIL Seeks Mandatory Nationwide Reporting
The proceedings stem from a public interest litigation filed by Dr Anurag Srivastava, former Head of the Department of Surgical Disciplines at AIIMS, New Delhi.
The Supreme Court had issued notices to the Centre, States and UTs on December 12, 2025, seeking their responses to the plea for nationwide notification of cancer.
The petition argues that the absence of mandatory cancer reporting has resulted in fragmented data, inadequate surveillance and inconsistent healthcare policies, potentially contributing to delayed diagnosis and poorer patient outcomes.
Call for Real-Time Digital Cancer Registry
The petitioner has sought the creation of a centralised, real-time digital cancer registry, integrated with the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), hospital databases, insurance schemes and mortality records.
The plea also calls for nationwide cancer screening and stronger coordination between the Centre and States to improve early diagnosis and treatment.
According to the petition, the existing NCRP covers only around 10 per cent of India’s population, while rural coverage is estimated at just 1 per cent, highlighting significant gaps in cancer surveillance.
Warning Against Unverified Cancer Claims
The PIL has also raised concerns over unscientific and unverified claims about alternative cancer treatments, arguing that patients may delay evidence-based medical care when exposed to misleading claims.
It has urged the government to clearly distinguish between scientifically validated therapies and unproven treatments, while ensuring that cancer patients receive reliable medical information and appropriate care.
Why Notifiable Status Matters
Declaring cancer a notifiable disease would facilitate systematic and mandatory reporting of cases, helping authorities build more comprehensive data on cancer incidence and geographic patterns.
The petitioner has argued that a uniform reporting mechanism could strengthen surveillance, support earlier detection, improve planning of healthcare resources and help address disparities in cancer treatment across States.
