Delhi High Court Seeks Delhi Govt’s Response In A Plea Seeking Availability Of Second Dose Of Appropriate Vaccine In The Capital

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice in a plea seeking directions to the Centre and Govt of National Capital of Delhi to make a second dose of appropriate vaccinations available in New Delhi.

Single bench of Justice Rekha Palli has also sought the stand of GNCTD on whether it could provide the second dose of Covaxin to all those who got the first jab before the expiry of the incubation period of six weeks between two doses.

Justice Palli while further expressing her displeasure on the Delhi Government’s action to start so many vaccination centres if the Government could not ensure administering both the doses of Covaxin within the stipulated time remarked, “Why did the Delhi Government start vaccination with much pomp and splendour if they were not sure of providing the second dose. Delhi like Maharashtra should have stopped too when it found that it could not provide the second dose.”

The bench was hearing a plea preferred by Advocate Ashish Virmani and filed through Advocate Pallav Mongia stated that the GNCTD and Centre after inoculating the petitioner with the first dose of the vaccine and despite being aware that second dose would be due has failed to ensure access of second dose of CoVAXIN to the petitioner.

“As a citizen of India, the preferential treatment to citizens of other states by making the second dose of Covaxin available to them violates the fundamental rights of the petitioner under Article 14 of the Constitution and to be treated in a non discriminatory manner.”, the plea states.

It has also been argued that the Centre’s arbitrariness has been reflected from the fact that Covaxin was made available to other states and Delhi was being deprived of the second dose of CoVID 19 vaccines, especially Covaxin. The plea also sought for directing the GNCTD and the Centre to inoculate the petitioner with the second dose of Covaxin within the prescribed timeline. 

“There is woeful shortage of the second dose of the Covaxin vaccine in delhi and the GNCTD has not taken any measure to either procure or increase production of the vaccine.”, the plea states.

Virmani in his plea further further averred that due to glaring ineptitude of the GNCTD and the Centre, the petitioner’s fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution has been violated. 

The matter is now expected to be heard on June 4, 2021. 

Case Title: Ashish Virmani v. Government of NCT of Delhi|W.P.(C) 5736/2021