India has introduced its first national minimum standards for mortuaries, setting uniform technical requirements for cold storage, staffing, body identification, and autopsy facilities. The new rules, announced on August 30, 2026, also ban the use of basement morgues across the country, aiming to improve mortuary infrastructure and operations, according to livemint.com.
The standards replace a previously fragmented system where mortuary operations were governed mainly by state police manuals and medico-legal codes without consistent technical guidelines. The government’s move establishes minimum requirements to ensure proper handling and storage of bodies, adequate staffing, and standardized autopsy procedures. The ban on basement morgues addresses safety and hygiene concerns associated with such facilities, the report said.
This development addresses long-standing issues in India’s mortuary services, which lacked uniformity and often operated under suboptimal conditions. By setting national standards, the government aims to enhance the dignity and safety of post-mortem processes. The move aligns with global best practices and could serve as a benchmark for states to upgrade their mortuary infrastructure, improving medico-legal and health outcomes.
The new mortuary standards come into effect immediately, with enforcement expected to begin in the coming months. The government has mandated compliance across all states to ensure uniform implementation. This marks a significant step in standardizing mortuary services nationwide, as reported by livemint.com.