Delhi High Court refuses to entertain PIL for door-to-door vaccination citing emergency situation

The Delhi High Court has quashed the public interest litigation filed by a law student demanding the door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination to ensure rapid immunization of the masses. The court expressed concern over home vaccination citing medical advice for access to medical facilities at the centres in case of emergencies.

While hearing the petition, one of the judges said that his doctor had told him that it was better to take the vaccine at a medical centre, which will have facilities in case of emergency.

The petitioner Mrigank Mishra, a law student represented through senior advocate Ashish Mohan, said that in the light of the alarming situation of rising COVID-19 cases and the second wave which is more severe than the first one, it is pertinent to boost the vaccination drive for which widening of involvement of private sector entities is necessary as it will facilitate rapid and mass vaccination and allow door-to-door vaccination of the citizens.

During the hearing, the court inquired from the petitioner's counsel as to how many vaccinations are being administered in government and private centres in Delhi and also about the availability of vaccines in the city.

The court expressed its displeasure and concern when the petitioner failed to give replies to its satisfaction on questions about the availability of the number of vaccines at the vaccination centres across the capital and the number of beneficiaries at each centre per day.

Delhi recorded over 13,500 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.