Supreme Court seeks government stand on linking jabs to jobs

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Union health ministry seeking an explanation from it on whether coercive orders could be issued by executive authorities linking vaccination to jobs, opening shops, sitting for exams et al.

A bench, led by Justice L Nageswar Rao, however, refused to stay such orders for the time being, as it "did not want to send a wrong signal" to the public in an already "vaccine-hesitant" country. "Some 50 crore people have already taken the vaccines. Won't this petition put doubts in their minds," Justice Rao asked.

Notices were also issued to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation through the Drugs Controller General of India, and vaccine-makers Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India.


Those who have been issued the notices will have to place their stand in court on the issue within four weeks.