The centre, today, defended its Covid vaccination policy in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court late Sunday night and ahead of a hearing in the top court this morning. The affidavit urged against “judicial interference” and warned that “overzealous, though well-meaning, intervention may lead to unforeseen and unintended consequences”.
“In the context of a global pandemic, where response and strategy of the nation is completely driven by expert medical and scientific opinion, there is little room for judicial interference. Any overzealous, though well-meaning, judicial intervention may lead to unforeseen and unintended consequences… in absence of any expert advice or administrative experience, leaving doctors, scientists, experts and executive very little room to find innovative solutions on the go,” the centre said.
“Pricing of vaccines is not only reasonable but uniform across the country (after) government persuasion with two vaccine companies,” the centre added.
The centre also pointed out that several states had announced plans to vaccinate the 18-45 age group for free, and that crematorium workers, and panchayat workers in rural areas, were “frontline workers” and so eligible for the vaccine.
The Supreme Court last week directed the centre to reconsider prices – “to ensure it withstands scrutiny of Articles 14 (equality before law) and Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty)”.
The row over vaccine prices was after manufacturers Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech announced vastly different prices for the centre, state governments and private hospitals.
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