Follow Karnataka govt order on mandatory vaccination for faculty, students: SC to educational institutions

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea against an order by the Karnataka government making it mandatory for students and staff to have Covid-19 vaccination for physical attendance in educational institutions.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant said this is one such matter that the court would not interfere with.

The top court asked counsel for petitioner Sushma S Aradhya as to why they don't want to get vaccinated. The counsel replied the petitioners do not believe in the allopathic system of medicine and they only have faith in Ayurveda.

The bench, however, said it would not interfere with the decision and dismissed the plea.

According to the government order, “no students, teachers and non-teaching staff who have not received Covid vaccination can be permitted to attend the colleges where students gather in large numbers and risk their lives.”

A group of students and teachers of an Ayurveda college questioned the validity of the July 16, 2021 circular, contending it is coercive in nature and violative of their fundamental rights.

They also claimed the World Health Organisation has held that the vaccination does not prevent the spread of the disease from person to person and so it has little potential of stopping the pandemic or preservation of public health.

A division bench of the Karnataka High Court, however, said, “no student, 18 years and above, teacher or staff can be permitted to attend school or college unless they have received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine.”