India, Nov. 19 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to come out with a uniform national policy for organ transplantation that provides equal access and opportunity to all recipients regardless of their gender, class and region, ruling that this goes to the root of the constitutional obligation to secure the health of citizens.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai and justice K Vinod Chandran noted the disparity among states in terms of the medical facilities for organ transplanation in government hospitals and the adoption of the rules under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 2011.

"A uniform national policy on organ donation is imperative to secure health of citizens," the court said, directing...