The Apex Court on Wednesday termed non-extension of free vaccination to the 18-44 age group as "prima facie arbitrary and irrational" and asked why budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccine procurement could not be used to inoculate this group free of cost. The top court relied on central government data amplifying the deep urban-rural digital divide and said the Centre’s policy mandating compulsory registration on CoWin app for a vaccination slot could leave out a large population belonging to marginalised communities from the universal vaccination drive.