Court tells doctors to fix their handwriting

New Delhi: At a time when most people use keyboards to write, does handwriting really matter? Yes, say Indian courts, if the writer is a doctor.

Jokes around the notoriously bad handwriting of many doctors that can only be deciphered by pharmacists are common in India, as around the world. But the latest order emphasising the importance of clear handwriting came recently from the Punjab and Haryana High Court which said that "legible medical prescription is a fundamental right" as it can make a difference between life and death.

The court order came in a case that had nothing to do with the written word. It involved allegations of rape, cheating and forgery by a woman and Justice Jasgurpreet Singh Puri was hearing the man's petition for bail.

The woman had alleged that the man had taken money from her promising her a government job, conducted fake interviews with her and sexually exploited her.

The accused denied the charges - he said they had a consensual relationship and the case was brought on because of a dispute over money.

Justice Puri said when he looked at the medico-legal report - written by a government doctor who had examined the woman - he found it incomprehensible.