KOCHI: A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by private lab owners challenging the state government order reducing the charge for the RT-PCR test from Rs 1,700 to Rs 500. The bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and Ziyad Rahman issued the order on an appeal filed by Devi Scans and others challenging the single judge’s order dismissing their petition to quash the government’s order.
The bench observed that the cost of the RT-PCR test in Haryana, Telangana and Uttarakhand is Rs 500 as pointed out in the statement filed by the state government. The rate in Odisha is only Rs 400, while it is Rs 450 in Punjab. The bench further stated that the legal contentions raised by the petitioners, which are pending before the single judge, require consideration in accordance with the law.