Vaccination Policy: Centre draws flak from Supreme Court

TNI Bureau: The Supreme Court on Monday grilled the Centre on the COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy and the requirement for obligatory registration on the CoWIN app for individuals to be vaccinated, saying that policymakers must have an ear to the ground and bear in mind the real ‘digital India’ reality.

A special bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, L N Rao, and S Ravindrabhat questioned how the Centre will address the country’s digital divide now that CoWIN registration is required for vaccination.

“You keep on saying the situation is dynamic but policy makers must have their ears on ground. You keep on saying digital India, digital India but the situation is actually different in rural areas. How will an illiterate labourer, from Jharkhand get registered in Rajasthan? Tell us how you will address this digital divide,” the bench questioned Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.

Mehta said that registration is required because a person must be tracked for a second dosage, and that in remote regions, community centres are available to register for vaccination. The bench asked Mehta if the government believes this method is realistic and requested that he file the policy document with the court.

It began by inquiring about the Centre’s vaccine procurement strategy, citing the fact that states such as Punjab and Delhi are now launching worldwide contracts to acquire foreign vaccinations for COVID-19.

Even municipal corporations, such as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), have received bids, according to the bench.

Meanwhile, the Centre has stated that the whole eligible population would be vaccinated by the end of 2021, and that the government is in discussion with corporations such as Pfizer, and that if those negotiations are successful, the vaccine deadline will be shifted, according to the law officer.

The hearing in this case is still ongoing.