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Cross and Hoskote-Nelamangala routesNEET-UG paper leak row: Congress leader Ashok Gehlot slams NTA’s ‘irresponsible’ standAfter CM Vijay’s order to revive Amma Canteens, AIADMK hopes for comeback of other legacy schemesPathankot man arrested for sending CCTV feed of forces’ movement to Pakistan-based handlers: policeKasaragod district administration prepares railway master plan to end travel hardshipsGovt. moves Pregabalin to Schedule H1 following reports of drug abuseRoutine rotavirus vaccine halves severe diarrhoea cases in Kerala children: JMMCRI StudyMadhya Pradesh High Court permits second postmortem of Twisha Sharma, says familyPolitical activity set to pick up in Karnataka with notification of elections to four Rajya Sabha seatsMaternity need not be proved through DNA test before donating kidney to child: Madras High CourtAjmer Sharif cleric demands national animal status for cow, ban on slaughter, beef exportWest Bengal government notifies free bus travel for women in State-run buses from June 1Meet the new Ministers in Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s expanded CabinetHyderabad Ponzi case: Enforcement Directorate arrests Nowhera ShaikNCERT book row: Supreme Court modifies earlier order concerning 3 academicsInfants in Telangana have better survival odds, IMR at 17 against India’s 242025 landslide in Shimla Act of God, NHAI tells NGT, rejects compensation claimSharmila criticises Modi over Melody toffees gifted to Italian PM Giorgia MeloniDelhi HC pulls up Wrestling Federation over decision to declare Vinesh Phogat ‘ineligible’KTR demands white paper on procurement all Rabi cropsTraffic diversions at Uppal for IPL match on May 22Driver charred to death in bus-truck collision on Agra-Lucknow ExpresswayWill not only stop infiltration but also deport each and every infiltrator, says Amit ShahBihar districts cut school hours as temperatures cross 40°CIntermediate advanced supplementary exams begin across Andhra Pradesh; 93.4% turnout on day oneSinging of ‘Vande Mataram’ compulsory in all schools, madrasas in Bengal: Dilip GhoshGovernor outlines new Assam Government’s vision amidst Opposition walkout in AssemblyWhy your daily cup of tea is getting costlier in KeralaPatterns from Gujarat’s 2026 local body electionsDriver charred to death in bus-truck collision on highway in Uttar Pradesh’s FirozabadParents, students challenge CBSE three-language rule for Class 9MMK resolves to contest on its own symbol in future elections in Tamil NaduVCK, IUML join Vijay’s Cabinet in Tamil NaduElection Commission of India announces Rajya Sabha polls for 24 seats on June 18Russia’s Sechenov University assigns ‘Visiting Professor’ status to Basappa SalundiManipur DGP moved to Cabinet Secretariat22 Ministers aged below 50: Cabinet signals generational shift in Tamil Nadu politicsMurder convict who jumped parole, worked in bollywood arrestedT.N.’s maternal healthcare indicators have improved in post-COVID-19 period, finds IIT-M studyJharkhand family buries wrong body after mistaken identity; missing man returns aliveShrinking shared spaces in a growing cityscapeJammu families hit by demolitions to ‘skip Id festivities, stay put’Calcutta HC orders setting up SIT of CBI to probe hushing up charges in R G Kar rape-murder caseFake call centres duping U.S. citizens busted in Bengaluru, man from Delhi, another from U.P. arrestedLakshmi could have been a child brideWest Asia crisis hurting Indian tea exportersVoter confusion fears over simultaneous polls ‘misplaced’, says ONOE JPC chairmanFrom rallies to reels: political catchphrases turn dance anthems in KolkataSupreme Court declines to interfere with forest clearances for Adani’s Madhya Pradesh coal block projectSedition trials can go on if accused is willing: Supreme CourtHimachal urban poll results reflect public confidence in Congress; party united with no groupism, says CM SukhuBangladesh-China talks underway for Tarique Rahman’s first foreign visitBihar midday meal incident: HC asks whether NGO can continue providing mealsThree children among seven persons rescued from brick kiln near ArakkonamTake forward reforms, PM tells MinistersMan arrested for selling gutka at Ambur railway stationRevanth demands special Parliament session to pass women’s reservation billAssistant Director of Mines in Ranipet relieved of dutiesHistoric shift: Vijay’s Cabinet marks Tamil Nadu’s best SC representation till dateIT-based skill training launched for inmates at Visakhapatnam Central JailRoom for reconciliation within the AIADMK‘Barring elected representatives, TVK members not to go for inspections’: Minister ArunrajIndigenous Vayu Astra-1 completes high-altitude trials in Uttarakhand, PokhranPublic representatives discuss solid waste management issues at Jawaharnagar dump yardLadakh leaders to meet Home Ministry officials on May 22, Sonam Wangchuk part of delegationSocial media post on medical emergency prompts government actionVictims have long been ‘pushed into a corner’, says Supreme CourtKarnataka government mulls legal action over SIRNo coercive action against Abhishek Banerjee: Calcutta HC directs West Bengal PoliceThe Hindu Maharashtra Infrastructure Conclave to be held in Mumbai on May 22PM busy handing out candies in Italy amid economic storm at home, says CongressRahul Gandhi’s ‘traitor’ remark on PM Modi reflects his ‘anarchic mindset’: BJP chiefModi, Shah are traitors who are attacking the Constitution, says Rahul at Rae Bareli meetSRMIST, The Hindu to organise webinar on careers in agritechNo double standards, we condemn Russia, U.S. and Israel for international law violations: Norway’s Foreign MinisterNIA arrests Kolkata resident on espionage chargeKarnataka HC upholds KSRTC driver’s conviction in fatal crashLocal bodies in Ernakulam told to open control rooms before monsoon strengthensIndia and Italy have been in continuous contact over Ukraine and West Asia conflicts: PM ModiU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to start first India visit on May 23Naidu highlights importance of spirituality for holistic progressTeacher training from May 22
Fri. May 22nd, 2026

Chemists strike on May 20: Reasons behind today’s all-India strike

  • India
  • May 20, 2026
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Chemists strike on May 20: Reasons behind today’s all-India strike

Chemists strike on May 20: Reasons behind today’s all-India strike While major pharmacy chains and government medical outlets will remain operational, the strike highlights significant tensions within the industry that could impact access to medications nationwide.Updated – May…

India
May 20, 2026

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Chemists strike on May 20: Reasons behind today’s all-India strike

While major pharmacy chains and government medical outlets will remain operational, the strike highlights significant tensions within the industry that could impact access to medications nationwide.

Updated – May 20, 2026 12:21 pm IST

The Hindu BureauThe All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists has called for a strike on May 20, demanding a ban on online sale of medicines, curbs on deep discounts by corporates, and measures to prevent spurious medicines. File

The All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists has called for a strike on May 20, demanding a ban on online sale of medicines, curbs on deep discounts by corporates, and measures to prevent spurious medicines. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), a prominent association representing the interests of chemists and druggists in India, has called for a nationwide 24-hour strike from May 20 to May 21 to express grievances that are affecting the pharmaceutical and retail medicine sectors in the country.

The organisation claims to represent approximately 12.4 lakh chemists, with a substantial portion of the community involved in the sale and distribution of medicines.


One-day nationwide chemists’ strike begins on mixed note

Here are the reasons why the pharmacists across India has gone for an all-out strike:

Why are pharmacies on strike?

1. Regulatory Concerns

Changes in regulations governing the sale of medicines, including licensing requirements and pricing controls, have caused an uproar. Two of the government’s recent regulations are GSR 220(E) and GSR 817E, introduced on March 26, 2020, and August 20, 2018, concerning e-pharmacy or the online sale of medicines.

Since the pharmaceutical business relies on obtaining a doctor’s prescription for the medications they provide, this decision was widely opposed by the community. With online pharmacies, individuals can order any medication, including controlled substances and antibiotics, without the necessary safeguards, also posing a risk of counterfeit prescriptions being used.


Explained | On regulating online sale of drugs in India

The government’s regulations on online pharmacies are neither notified nor withdrawn. This grey area allows them to function, while the physical pharmacies have to undergo numerous regulations.

During COVID-19 pandemic, government allowed home-delivery of medicines. The association argues the online pharmacies are exploiting this feature and it must be reviewed since the pandemic times are over.

2. Pricing Issues

The organisation has expressed concerns about the substantial discounts being provided by online medicine platforms. Their demands include that discounts should either be discontinued or the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) should be revised to enable offline chemists to have higher profit margins to allow them to offer competitive discounts to consumers as well.


Bandh call: Pharmacies to stay open on May 20, but chemists to show support by sporting black badges and ribbons

What’s open and what’s closed?

All major pharmacy chains, hospital-based medical stores, Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT pharmacy outlets across the country will remain open on May 20, PTI reported.

Medical shops attached to hospitals would remain open during the bandh and emergency medicine services would not be disrupted, AIOCD president and former MLC Jagannath Shinde has said.

This is in addition to several State-level pharmacy associations which have already opted out of the proposed nationwide strike, the sources told PTI.


All major pharmacy chains, hospital-based medical stores, Jan Aushadhi Kendras to remain open on May 20

Retail pharmacy associations from West Bengal, Kerala, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand have voluntarily submitted written assurances that they will not participate in the strike and have committed to ensuring there will be no disruption in the availability of medicines to the public on the proposed day of protest.

Published – May 20, 2026 12:19 pm IST


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This article was generated from an imported news source and rewritten for clarity and readability. View original source

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