CoWIN Creating Digital Divide: Supreme Court Pulls up Centre on Registration For 18+ Vaccination

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Centre regarding its vaccination policy and the mandatory registration on the CoWIN portal for registration of the coronavirus vaccine. A bench of the top court asked the government why there was a discrepancy in the supply of vaccine to different age groups. “Several states issuing global tenders to procure Covid vaccines from abroad; is this policy of govt,” the top court asked. The Centre in reply to the Supreme Court said it is confident of vaccinating all citizens above the age of 18 years by the end of 2021.

“Centre must see what’s happening across the country and change its policy accordingly: SC on mandatory registration on CoWIN app. Policymakers must have ears on the ground, there is a digital divide,” the Supreme Court said.

Pointing out the various flaws on CoWIN app, the Supreme Court said there are a number of potential roadblocks, including the discrepancy in vaccine supply for different age groups, dual-pricing as well as access of rural areas to the CoWIN platform.

“Your rationale was high mortality in 45+ group (but) in the second wave this group is not seriously affected… it is 18-44. If the purpose is to procure vaccines, why should the Centre procure only for over 45?”

“Several states issuing global tenders to procure Covid vaccines from abroad, is this policy of the government? …Why should states have to pay the higher price? Centre has to take over the responsibility of one price for the whole nation,” the court pulled up the government adding that it had “price-fixing powers”.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the central government told the top court that the COVID vaccine doses procured by Indian manufacturers – Serum Institue of India (Covishield), Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) and Dr Reddy’s Lab (Sputnik) – will be enough to vaccinate the entire population of 18-plus age group.

Solicitor General further told the apex court that the Centre was in talks with global firms like Pfizer and if it succeeds, the timeline of completing vaccination by year-end will change.

source https://www.india.com/news/india/confident-of-vaccinating-18-plus-group-by-2021-end-centre-tells-supreme-court-cowin-app-hearing-4703866/