Supreme Court pulls up Centre on Covid vaccines, asks if policy is to make states compete

The Supreme Court pulled up Centre on its vaccine plan and asked if the policy is to make states and municipal corporations compete with each other to procure vaccines.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre that several state governments are now issuing global tenders to procure vaccines, is this the central policy on vaccine procurement. The court also observed that till date, the Centre has failed to submit a national policy document on Covid vaccines. The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud was hearing a suo motu case related to supply of essential medicines, vaccines and medical oxygen to coronavirus patients. "Several states are issuing global tenders to procure foreign vaccines for Covid-19 and is this policy of the central government," the Supreme Court bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.