No forced vaccinations, certificate not a must: Centre to Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: The Central Government has made it clear before the Supreme Court that there is no COVID-19 vaccination mandate and that vaccination is not mandatory.

The Union Health Ministry has informed the Supreme Court that Centre's norms neither mandate forcible vaccination nor carrying of vaccination certificate by any beneficiary as part of its universal COVID vaccination program.

In an affidavit filed on January 13, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that “no person can be forced to be vaccinated against their wishes”.

It also said that “the Government of India has not issued any SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) which make carrying of vaccination certificate mandatory for any purpose.”

The top court will hear a PIL by an NGO Evara Foundation tomorrow seeking priority vaccination for the disabled, in response to which the Centre has advised public masking by all sections of people in India as part of larger public interest.

Centre has recommended COVID vaccination in larger public interest due to the prevailing pandemic situation, and has widely advertised the same via print and social media.

Submitting that people with disabilities as likely to get infected with COVID and spreading infection, nodal officers have been appointed in every state looking into grievance redressal for the disabled in particular.

The Union Government has clarified that there is no bar on vaccination for people with disabilities not having ID cards.

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