COVID-19 Vaccine: Bombay High Court refuses to hear plea on differential pricing of vaccines

The third phase of corona vaccination across the country is starting from May 1. Emphasis is being placed on corona vaccination against the backdrop of increasing covid cases. The third phase of corona vaccination is very important and everyone above the age of 18 will be vaccinated. Against this backdrop, a petition was filed in the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to the Serum Institute of India and the Bharat Biotech to sell their COVID-19 vaccines at a uniform rate of ₹150 (plus GST) per dose. However, the court has refused to hear the petition.

The Serum Institute recently announced the price of the corona vaccine. After that the price of its vaccine was reduced from ₹400 to ₹300 per dose to the State governments. The public interest litigation (PIL), filed last week by Mumbai-based advocate Fayzan Khan in the Bombay High Court seeking an order to provide corona vaccine at the same rate of Rs 150 per dose across the country. However, High Court Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta has refused to hear the petition and advised the petitioners to approach the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has already made it clear that issues that have pan-India effect will be dealt with by them and pricing is a phenomenon applicable all over India. The Supreme Court has taken notice even before you filed the petition. You can appeal to them, explained Justice Dipankar Dutta.We have an idea of ​​the situation and are constantly telling the Central and State Governments to ensure that people get better treatment, ”the High Court said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the country is focusing on vaccination and from May 1, everyone above the age of 18 will be vaccinated. However, vaccination will not start in Maharashtra, state health minister Rajesh Tope said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Tope added that the decision was made because of the low availability of vaccine doses.