The Supreme Court today refused to stay the day-long nation-wide strike called by the Indian Medical Association. The strike is in protest against certain reforms initiated by the Central Government in the medical field.A bench of the apex court, however, hoped the doctors would desist from going ahead with the proposed strike in the interest of the general public.The apex court felt that it was too late to stay the strike as it would be difficult to ensure compliance but issued notice to the Centre on the petitioners' plea that the doctors going on strike would be illegal and unconstitutional. It was hearing a petition by an NGO opposing the doctors' strike and seeking it to be declared as illegal.

The Indian Medical Association(IMA) had called the strike to protest against the Union government's decision to set up a National Commission for Health and other policy decisions affecting the medical profession.