SC reprimands Center on vaccine policy, courts cannot remain, mute spectators, if citizens' rights are taken away

The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure over the central government's vaccination policy. Regarding providing free vaccine to people above 45 years of age and paid vaccine to those below, the top court said that prima facie it is irritating and arbitrary. Along with this, the court asked the central government to present a roadmap as to how it is talking about vaccinating all adult people in the country by the end of December. Earlier, the government told the court that it would work to vaccinate all people by the end of this year. Let us tell you that in response to the criticism of the opposition, the government has reiterated this point many times.

Regarding the policy of vaccination, the Supreme Court said that people between the ages of 18 and 44 are not only falling prey to infection but many other effects are being caused due to it. They have to stay in hospitals for a long time and there are deaths. Not only this, but the court also reacted sharply to the argument from the government that the court should stay away from implementing the policies. To this, the top court said that the court cannot remain a mute spectator at a time when the constitutional rights of citizens are being violated.

The court said that our constitution does not say that when the rights of citizens are being violated, the courts should remain mute spectators. The bench asked the government how the Rs 35,000 crore earmarked for the vaccine in the budget has been spent so far and what is being used for people aged 18 to 44. The court asked the government to file an affidavit to state when and how it has procured Covishield, Covaxin, and Sputnik-V. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had asked the Central Government on Tuesday that why the youth are not being given priority in the treatment of corona. The court had said that people who have reached the age of 80 have lived their lives. In such a situation, preference should be given to youth instead of them.