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The Delhi High court today sought the Centre’s response on a plea seeking direction to the Central Government to reduce the rate of Covid-19 vaccines and to fix it at the earlier rate in the larger public interest.

The division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh has listed the matter for next hearing on Sep 13.

Adv. AK Dubey appearing for the petitioner, one Mr. Rakesh, submitted that there is a disparity in the price being paid for Covid vaccines by the Government and the common people which is not in the interest of the citizens of this country, especially when the government is supplying free vaccines to other countries.

The court was of the view that this matter may have become infructuous since the Government is providing free vaccines to people in India, as well. 

However, it asked the counsel appearing for the Central Government to seek instructions on the matter.

The petitioner submitted that the government has sent free-of-cost consignments of the anti-Covid 19 vaccines with about 361.94 lakh doses to countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka etc as per information from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Basis this, the petitioner argued that the Central Government, “without securing our citizens has been helping out the citizens of other countries, which is good but (the) same cannot be done, while our citizens have been losing their lives in India”.

The petitioner further stated that according to reports, "the rate of anti-Covid 19 dose has been increased as now the Government of India would be charged Rs. 150, State would be charged Rs. 600 and the private hospital would be charged Rs. 1200 for Covaxin," while earlier the price of Covaxin at private hospitals was Rs. 250 and "this amount was easy to pay by needy people." 

The petitioner has stated that, it is not easy for most people to pay such "blindly increased cost of Anti Corona Vaccine Price".  

The petition further highlights that charging a higher amount for the vaccine dose at private hospitals and State governments increases their burden as compared to the Central government and submits that, "it is the duty of the Central Government at the  present time to provide free vaccinations in bulk." 

Case Title: Rakesh vs. Government of India