Supreme Court dismisses plea to stop mass COVID-19 vaccination programme

The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea seeking direction to stop mass COVID-19 vaccination of Covishield and Covaxin till all stages of clinical trials are completed saying it is key to protecting the population and no doubt should be cast on it. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna refused to entertain the plea challenging the May 26 order of Karnataka High Court dismissing the plea of an ex-serviceman Mathew Thomas.

The bench said, "The High Court is right in dismissing the plea. Let us not cast doubt on the vaccination process. It is a key to protecting the population. We don't want the petition to be argued at all. Even issuing notice on this appeal will be subject to great mischief".

The bench further said that the country has gone through a very critical stage during the pandemic and India is not the only country where vaccination is underway.


"We are not inclined to entertain the Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. The Special Leave Petition is accordingly dismissed," the bench ordered.

At the outset, advocate Nitin AM, appearing for the petitioner, stated that allowing mass vaccination without completion of the clinical trial is in violation of rules and administration of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines is harmful and illegal.

On May 26, the High Court had dismissed the PIL filed by Thomas and two others and had imposed a cost of Rs 50 thousand on the co-petitioners to be paid within a month.

The petitioners had have contended before the High Court that it is not clear under which law has the union government allowed vaccination of population through COVID-19 vaccines-Covishield and Covaxin without completion of clinical trials.