The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by a Mumbai-based Advocate Fayzan Khan and three law students who challenged the different rates of COVID-19 vaccines for the Centre and State governments.
The petition stated that the Serum Institute of India (SII) was selling ‘Covishield’ vaccine to the Centre at ₹150 (plus GST) per dose, to State governments at ₹400 per and to private hospitals at 600 per dose.The Bharat Biotech has fixed the rate of ‘Covaxin’, at ₹600 for State governments and ₹1,200 for private hospitals.
The petition further stated that price control should be initiated by the Centre in order to prevent any kind of looting and blackmailing during the pandemic.The petition was heard in front of a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court consisting of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni.
The Bench stated that the pricing of COVID-19 vaccines is an issue which concerns the whole nation, therefore, the petitioners should approach the Supreme Court.
It was further stated that this petition cannot be entertained in the High Court, as the Supreme Court is taking cognisance over issues which affect pan-India.
Lawcutor 