HC puts a stay on Delhi govt circular on MR vaccination

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday put a stay on the Delhi government circular which mandated measles-rubella (MR) vaccination for students up to the age of 15 without obtaining consent from beneficiaries and their parents. The single-judge bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru said that the vaccination campaign should be deferred till further orders of the court. The bench posted the matter for next hearing to Jan 21.

Justice Bakhru further ordered the Directorate of Education of Delhi to contact the principals of some of the schools for eliciting information pertaining to the parents who have been contacted for the campaign through class teachers and whether such details are available with the school.

During hearing, the petitioner cited various instances where the vaccines have had adverse reactions. "The part of the notification that states that the vaccines be given without consent is clearly ultra vires of the constitution and that the vaccines cannot be forcefully administered. Consent is a precondition of vaccination," the petitioner stated.