With a view to prevent various infections transmitted through blood, the Supreme Court of India, in a ruling on January 4 directed the Union government "to establish forthwith a National Council for Blood Transfusion". Besides, such councils should be set up in every state and union territory, said the Court. It sought a separate legislation for regulating the collection, processing, storage, distribution and transportation of blood. The Court also directed the Union and state governments to take appropriate measures to stop the practice of professional blood donation and to ensure that all blood banks were duly licensed within a year.