The Supreme Court on Wednesday made an oral suggestion to petitioners, seeking better facilities and COVID-19 vaccine access to lactating mothers, pregnant women, people with disablities and children, loop in the court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) about their apprehensions.
“The National Task Force had a lot of positive and continuous engagement with the government after we constituted it... Many of its suggestions were accepted by the government... Your issues can be placed before the task force. They can have a look at them... The issues have a bearing on public policy,” a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud addressed the petitioners.
The NTF was constituted by the court to augment and streamline COVID-19 response last year.
Meanwhile, the government said it has accepted many of the suggestions made by the petitioners and would file a comprehensive affidavit soon.
The court listed the case on January 17.
The court was dealing with petitions filed separately by various parties, including the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and an NGO, Evara Foundation.
The NGO had sought preferential vaccine slots and a dedicated helpline, besides the CoWIN portal, for persons with disabilities.
The petition had argued that protection of disabled persons was explicitly required under the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act. The obligation of the State to avail quick and easy access for them to COVID-19 vaccines also falls within the ‘Principle of Reasonable Accommodation’.
The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights had sought easy availability of vaccines for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Advocate Vrinda Grover, for the Commission, had previously said the petition was originally filed in May 2021, during the second wave. She said the government has since then framed operating guidelines for pregnant and lactating women.
