New Delhi, Aug 19 - The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued a notice to the Delhi government seeking information about the medical guidelines followed by all state-run hospitals for blood donation as a petitioner alleged 'a racket in the trading of blood'.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan also asked the government to inform the court whether it was mandatory or voluntary to donate blood in government hospitals. The state's reply has been sought by Sep 9, the next date of hearing.

The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by an NGO, Society for Voice of Human Rights and Justice, which alleged that the government hospitals are refusing to admit patients in times of crisis if they failed to donate blood.

In the petition, it was alleged that Sharda Bhargava, a resident of Ghaziabad, visited the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital at the final moments of delivery Dec 8, 2008.