PIL in SC seeking uniform pan India policy for free COVID-19 vaccination to every citizen

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Union of India to formulate a uniform pan India policy for free of cost Covid-19 vaccination to every Indian citizen. The PIL filed by the Social Democratic Party of India through advocate A Selvin Raja also requested the top court to constitute an independent body under the direct supervision or monitoring of this court to ensure free and uniform vaccination across all the states and union territories.

The petition stated that under Article 21, every person in India has the invaluable right to get the vaccination free of cost. "In the context of a rapid surge of pandemic the people are dying without getting timely treatment and the graveyards are running day and night compelling to wait for hours to get the deceased cremated, the people of this country pin their hopes only on the vaccine. The majority of people cannot afford the varied price fixed by the government and cannot bear these vaccine costs," the plea added.

The petition further stated that if the large population including a major chunk of poor sections would be vaccinated freely, it would help in improving the herd immunity amongst the citizens.