<p>The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday questioned the state government’s policy of limiting vaccine administration to second dosage recipients and allowing persons in 18-44 age group to get vaccines from private hospitals by paying over Rs 1,000.</p>.<p>The court asked whether such a rule will not violate the Constitution.</p>.<p>A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar was hearing a suo motu case registered on the basis of letters of complaint received by the court.</p>.<p>When informed about the policy that allows people in 18-44 age group to get vaccine form private hospitals while limiting government vaccination to the second dose recipients, the court asked whether this doesn’t violate Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution.</p>.<p>It noted that poor people, especially those in crowded slums, would not be able to shell out Rs 1,200 for the vaccine while a privileged person facing low risk can get the vaccine because he can pay.</p>.<p>“Can the central government remain silent on the matter,” it asked.</p>.<p>The bench asked whether the government has the power to allocate vaccine to private hospitals form within the 50% quota set by the vaccine makers. It also sought to know whether a person who buys first dose in a private hospital, is allowed to get the second dose in government hospital. Additional Solicitor General Aiswarya Bhati said people can get the second dose from either hospital.</p>
<p>The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday questioned the state government’s policy of limiting vaccine administration to second dosage recipients and allowing persons in 18-44 age group to get vaccines from private hospitals by paying over Rs 1,000.</p>.<p>The court asked whether such a rule will not violate the Constitution.</p>.<p>A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar was hearing a suo motu case registered on the basis of letters of complaint received by the court.</p>.<p>When informed about the policy that allows people in 18-44 age group to get vaccine form private hospitals while limiting government vaccination to the second dose recipients, the court asked whether this doesn’t violate Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution.</p>.<p>It noted that poor people, especially those in crowded slums, would not be able to shell out Rs 1,200 for the vaccine while a privileged person facing low risk can get the vaccine because he can pay.</p>.<p>“Can the central government remain silent on the matter,” it asked.</p>.<p>The bench asked whether the government has the power to allocate vaccine to private hospitals form within the 50% quota set by the vaccine makers. It also sought to know whether a person who buys first dose in a private hospital, is allowed to get the second dose in government hospital. Additional Solicitor General Aiswarya Bhati said people can get the second dose from either hospital.</p>
