Supreme Court Directs Nationwide Integration of Emergency Helpline 112

28th May 2026, India: The Hon'ble Supreme Court has mandated all states and Union Territories to fully operationalise a single emergency helpline number 112 within the next three months. Currently, multiple emergency numbers are in use across India, such as
(1) 100 for police
(2) 101 for fire services
(3) 102 and 108 for ambulances
(4) 1033 for highways, and
(5) 1091 for women's safety. This fragmentation often leads to confusion and delays during emergencies.

According to the NK TV News Channel, The court, hearing a petition by the Save Live Foundation, emphasized that timely trauma care is linked to the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The bench comprising Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice AS Chandurkar highlighted that every second is critical in trauma situations and delays reduce survival chances. The court ordered integration of all emergency services under number 112, required regular compliance reports, monthly review meetings, and mandated public uploading of meeting records to ensure accountability.

Additionally, all government and private ambulances must meet national safety standards under AIS-125, including GPS and real-time vehicle tracking connected to the 112 network to improve response time. The Centre has three months to issue a nationwide medical rescue protocol for trauma cases, after which states will have extra time for implementation. The court also addressed the reluctance of bystanders to assist accident victims due to fears of legal repercussions.