Division bench of acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala issued the notices on the PIL filed by Babulal Thakkar, seeking replies by August 9, the next date of hearing.
At present, the standard method for detecting HIV in India is `Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)' test or the antibody test, says the PIL, adding that this test has a window period of three months -- an infection acquired in the previous three months cannot be detected.
ELISA can be replaced by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test where there is no window period, says Thakkar.
"In India, in standard HIV testing, the PCR test is not included for reasons best known to the Governments both State and Centre," the PIL says. It adds that in 2006, NACO had announced that India was the first country in Asia to have introduced PCR.
Yet, PCR is not made mandatory at the blood banks and hospitals, it says, demanding that the authorities make it compulsory.