JODHPUR, March 20 -- The Rajasthan high court has directed the state government to formulate and implement uniform, comprehensive medico-legal guidelines for medical reports in criminal cases, ensuring doctors' opinions are clear, legible, complete, and grounded in sound evidence. A single bench of justice Chandra Prakash Shrimali issued these directions while granting bail to an accused from Karauli district, Gautam, in an assault case, a lawyer familiar with the case said on Thursday. The bench observed: "This court would like to observe that while examining various medico-legal reports where the opinion of doctors is sought, this court has found that there are no specific guidelines issued to medical jurists. The courts, while deciding matters of a serious nature, consider the opinion of doctors as vital evidence, particularly in criminal cases involving murder, suicide, assault, etc. Courts usually treat the opinion of doctors as gospel truth, relying on their expertise, and at times such evidence plays an important role in the administration of justice. However, it has come to the notice of this court that, in the absence of standardised guidelines, disparities persist in the medical reports submitted by different medical jurists across cases." On constitutional rights, it said: "The Constitution of India guarantees the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, which includes the right to a fair trial and due process for every individual, including both the accused and the complainant. In criminal trials, medical reports often form a crucial part of the evidence. When such reports are vague, illegible, speculative, or lacking in detail, they compromise the rights of parties to effectively defend or establish their case. An accused may face wrongful conviction based on ambiguous expert opinion, while a complainant may be denied justice due to the absence of credible medical corroboration. Such deficiencies in expert evidence are not merely procedural lapses but touch upon the core of substantive justice protected by the Constitution." The bench ordered: "In the interest of justice, and to strengthen the administration of criminal law, this court directs the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan, to direct the concerned department to prepare and implement a set of comprehensive and uniform medico-legal guidelines to be followed by all government medical officers in the state while furnishing medical opinions in criminal cases. These guidelines should ensure that all medical opinions submitted to courts are clear, legible, complete, and supported by cogent reasons and clinical data. The format for reporting shall also be revised, if necessary, to include mandatory entries such as the type and nature of each injury, its anatomical location, dimensions, the probable weapon or instrument used, and its immediate and long-term implications on the victim's health."...