Consider fight against COVID-19 as a surgical strike, Bombay High Court tells Centre

Bombay HC also questions BMC as to how at the beginning of the vaccination drive a senior politician got his dose at his residence in Mumbai

Bombay High Court. File

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government if it had applied for permission to give door to door vaccination, and told the Central government, “COVID-19 is the common enemy, and you must consider the battle as a surgical strike!”

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by two city-based lawyers that sought vaccination at home for those above 75 years, bedridden or wheelchair-bound.

For the petitioners, advocate Dhruti Kapadia told the court that Kerala had been conducting vaccination for bedridden people and the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation had started door to door vaccination.

The court asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) how a senior political member got vaccinated at the beginning of the drive.

BMC’s counsel Anil Sakhare said he would inform tomorrow.

The court said, “We want to know today. We are hearing the matter today. We are talking about your model to the entire country and are appreciating your efforts. Did Kerala wait for the nod from the Central government? Either the defence can be that you have given him [politician] a different vaccine, or you have nothing to do with it then we will ask the State”.

The bench told Additional Solicitor General of India Anil Singh, “You have taken a decision for near to door vaccination. You have agreed that COVID-19 is the common enemy. You must consider the battle as a surgical strike! We know the areas and the people who may be carrying the virus. We should go to the borders and fight! We see that decisions are being taken by the Centre, but they are delayed. So many States are doing this. Then why not make it uniform for all States?”.

“What is your response to the Kerala notification? Jammu Kashmir, Ranchi, Vasai Virar are doing it [vaccinating door to door]. Even Orissa has started it. Gather information from four States and come up with something from them. We indicated our mind to the BMC, they failed to live up to our expectations,” the court stated.

The bench told Mr. Singh that these corporations have gone ahead. The Centre should consider the sentiments of not just the bedridden people but also their family members. “How do you tackle this situation where people sitting in homes get black fungus?”.

If there was a national policy that governments needed the Centre’s approval, then that applied to all. Kerala, Bihar were doing it. “Mumbai is asking for your permission.”

Mr. Singh said Maharashtra had never applied for permission to them.

The State would reply on June 11.