Supreme Court refuses to hear plea seeking pan-India policy on free vaccination

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The Supreme Court today refused to hear a plea seeking directions to formulate a uniform pan India policy of Covid-19 vaccination, for providing it free of cost to every person in India.

A bench of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice BV Nagarathna said, "We have already passed directions over this issue in our suo-moto writ petition."

The public interest litigation has sought directions on the basis of the slogan/mantra of the Covax initiative co-led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure equitable access to vaccines across the world which says, “No one is safe, unless everyone is safe."

The plea stated that the wide spread of the Covid-19 pandemic could be arrested as per medical science only by vaccinating atleast seventy percent of the total population, a situation possible only by universal free vaccination.

Refusing to hear the matter Justice Chandrachud said, "You want a uniform pan India policy ensuring free vaccination, whereas, we have already issued orders regarding this."

Adv. A Selvin Raja appearing for the petitioner submitted that the prayers also seek formulation of a committee, to which Justice Chandrachud further said that the court has also formulated a committee already.

Justice Chandrachud mentioned that the petitioner may assist the court in the suo-moto Covid-19 related matter.

Case Title: Social Democratic Party of India Vs. Union of India and Anr.