The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy made the appeal based on the State’s submission that the vaccines were yet to arrive despite orders being placed as directed by the Centre and full payment made for 10.3 lakh units. 

While making the appeal to ensure speedy supply to prevent the advent of a third-wave, the bench recorded the State’s submission that the Centre has indicated two vendors from whom vaccines can be obtained. The State also submitted that the vaccine allocation for Tamil Nadu is 10.3 lakh units, out of which 7.65 lakh is to be supplied by one of the vendors and 2.65 lakh units by the other. 

“The vendors apparently demanded prior payment and the payment for all the 10.3 lakh units has been made on May 4, for the State to immediately receive the vaccines and start the universal adult inoculation programme,” the bench recorded in the suo motu plea taken to monitor the State’s preparedness in handling the rising COVID second wave.