CHENNAI: In a move aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in medico-legal procedures, the State Health Department has initiated a pilot project enabling the police to access post-mortem examination reports on the same day they are prepared.
The pilot, currently under way at Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and Government Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital, involves uploading primary autopsy reports to the MedLEaPR portal, a centralised digital platform developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to modernise medico-legal documentation across India.
Officials at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital confirmed that the forensic department has been uploading reports daily since October 3. The initiative is expected to significantly cut delays in investigations and streamline coordination between hospitals, police, and judicial authorities.
Earlier, hearing a 2020 public interest litigation, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had directed all government and private hospitals in Tamil Nadu to adopt the MedLEaPR system for fair and standardised autopsy procedures. The implementation was mandated from January 1, 2021, but progress has been snail-paced.
With this pilot project, the State government aims to ensure timely digital access to post-mortem examination findings. Health department officials indicated that once the system proves successful, the process will be extended across Tamil Nadu.