Can’t scrap existing policy: SC on plea seeking door-to-door vaccination drive
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination is not feasible and it cannot pass a general direction to scrap the existing vaccination policy.
A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud and comprising justices
Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli asked petitioner Youth Bar Association, to present its suggestions before a competent authority. The plea had urged the top court to pass a direction allowing door-to-door COVID-19 jab for disabled and people belonging to weaker sections. The bench responded that vaccination drive is already in progress and over 60 per cent of the population has been administered the first dose.
The bench told the petitioner’s counsel, “With one brush you want an order for the entire country. The vaccination drive is already in progress and over 60 per cent of the population has been administered the first dose”. The bench further added that it is matter of governance and it cannot scrap the existing policy. It said in Ladakh the situation is different from Kerala and in Uttar Pradesh the situation is different from any other state.
The bench said: “In urban areas, situation is different from rural areas. There are different kinds of problems in every state in this vast country...”
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that Health Ministry should be asked to consider the representation in a time bound manner. The bench replied that it understands that the ministry officials are under pressure during these testing times.