A recently reported Supreme Court of India order has far-reaching implications for one of India's largest public health programmes. In response to a Public Interest Litigation, the Court noted: "For the time being, no doctor without gynaecological training for at least five years' post degree experience should be permitted to carry out the sterilisation programme." A three-judge Bench also instructed state governments to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh per patient dying due to sterilisation. Further, noting that there were no uniform guidelines for the conduct of these operations, the Court also ordered that the Centre should lay down such guidelines within four weeks.