The Supreme Court today sought a response from the Central government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to bring focus on vaccinating persons with disabilities at their residences since they face a higher risk of being infected by the virus.
A Bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud issued notice to the Centre and also requested the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist it with regard to steps that have already been taken and that are to be taken to assuage their concerns.
Noting that since the plea raises questions dealing with the rights of people with disabilities, it sought a response from the government within two weeks.
“Since the plea raises substantial questions dealing with rights of the disabled, we issue notice to the Union of India. We would request Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist us with regarding steps taken and steps which will be taken to assuage the concerns of petitioners. List this after two weeks,” the Bench stated in its order.
The plea filed by Evara Foundation, a disability rights organisation, sought direction to bring focus upon the steps which are required to ensure ease of access to vaccination to persons with disabilities in order to protect them against coronavirus.
The advocate appearing for the organisation contended that in one of the press releases by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) it has said that vaccination should happen at doorsteps for persons with disabilities.
He also argued that the IMA has recommended that vaccination should have happened at doorsteps and Jharkhand and Kerala implemented this policy.
The plea stated that scheduling an appointment at a particular vaccination centre is a highly technical process and persons with disabilities are facing difficulties in getting vaccinated. Seeking vaccination at doorsteps for them and their caregivers, the plea said visiting vaccination centres amid lockdowns in various states is also a challenging task for such persons.
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