Nobody can be forced to undergo Covid vaccination: Supreme Court

Top court rules that restrictions on unvaccinated individuals imposed through various vaccine mandates by state govts/UTs cannot be said to be proportionate

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday held that no individual can be forced to be vaccinated against Covid, observing that bodily integrity is protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Asking the Centre to make public data on the Covid immunisation’s adverse events, the top court, however, said in the interest of protection of communitarian health, the government is entitled to regulate issues of public health concern by imposing certain limitations on individual rights, which are open to scrutiny by constitutional courts.

Upholding the government’s current Covid vaccination policy, the court said on the basis of available material and considering expert views the policy “cannot be said to be manifestly arbitrary and unreasonable”.

Noting that the Covid infection rate in the country remains low, the court also suggested a review of the existing orders and that no restriction be imposed on unvaccinated individuals on access to public areas or recall the same if already not done. The number of active Covid cases rose by 408 in a 24-hour span to reach 19,500 on Monday, according to the latest Union Health ministry data.

India’s Covid case positivity rate went past one per cent again after over two months as the country witnessed a single-day rise of 3,157 infections and 26 fatalities, according to the ministry data updated on Monday.