Plea in Orissa high court for home vaccination of elderly, disabled

CUTTACK: A petition filed in the Orissa high court has sought judicial intervention to ensure vaccine for senior citizens with ailments and those who are physically challenged and are unable to approach the vaccination centres. The petition, filed by Sohan Mishra and two others, has sought direction to provide them vaccine at home.
The vacation bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice B P Routray has fixed May 12 to hear the petition in the light of the Supreme Court order issued on April 30.
The vacation bench fixed the date on Wednesday after assistant solicitor general of India, P K Parhi, stated that he will seek specific instructions from the Union of India to ensure availability of vaccines and the facility of vaccination to specific groups of people who are not in a position to approach the centres.
While citing the Supreme Court order the high court said, “It must be possible to broadly interpret the expression ‘the underprivileged’, in the context of issues raised, to include those who, either due to age or disability or any other reason are unable to reach vaccination centres.”
The bench cited particular questions the SC had posed to the Centre regarding ‘vaccine capacity and disbursal’ in the order passed in a suo motu writ on April 30.