The Rajasthan High Court has sought responses from the central and state governments and vaccine manufacturers Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech on a petition challenging differential pricing of the vaccine for the Centre and the state, saying such pricing would hamper national vaccination strategy.
A division bench of Justice Sabina and Justice MK Vyas passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Mukesh Sharma.
The petition questioned the difference in pricing for the Centre and the states. Both vaccine makers sold their doses to the Centre at ₹150 a shot. Subsequently, in Phase 3, where states have to procure vaccines from the makers, the companies announced a price of ₹400 per dose for states (Covishield; Serum Institute) and ₹600 a dose (Covaxin; Bharat Biotech). On Wednesday, SII reduced this to ₹300 a dose and on Thursday, Bharat Biotech, ₹400 a dose.
The petitioner said the prices quoted by manufacturers are not just higher but extremely discriminatory and arbitrary. Rajasthan’s chief minister Ashok Gehlot has last week announced that the state Government shall bear the cost of vaccination of all those above the age of 18 years. Most other states have made similar announcements.
The court has set May 12 as the next date of hearing.
In another case, the Rajasthan High Court has issued notices to the Centre and the state government on alleged discrimination in the supply of medical oxygen and lifesaving injections to the state. The court will hear that matter on Friday.
A division bench of Chief Justice Inderjit Mohanty and Justice Inderjit Singh, heard the petition filed by Advocate Poonam Chand Bhandari, and asked the Centre and the state to respond.
“As compared to the other states, the supply of oxygen support system, liquid oxygen and lifesaving injections such as, Remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 has been much less in Rajasthan.The requirement of liquid oxygen is 220 metric tonnes per day, however, the allocation by the Central Government is 205 metric tonnes per day. There is a short supply of Remdesivir injections also..,” claimed Bhandari’s petition.
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