SC to resume hearing in Covid case on May 31

New Delhi: The hearing in the suo moto case on COVID issues (In Re Distribution of Essential Services and Supplies During Pandemic) will be resumed by a 3-judge bench of the Supreme Court on May 31.

The hearing was deferred till further notice on May 13 after the presiding judge, Justice D Y Chandrachud, tested positive for COVID-19.

On April 30, the bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat, had raised several pertinent queries regarding the Centre's vaccination policy, distribution of essential medicines and oxygen allocation to states.

The bench had made a prima facie observation that the Centre's vaccination was detrimental to the right to health of citizens and required a revisit to make it conform to the mandate of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The Court had also suggested that the Centre should explore options like compulsory licensing over COVID vaccines and drugs, and that the vaccines should be centrally procured from manufacturers.

The Centre also resisted judicial review of the policy by saying "any overzealous, though well-meaning judicial intervention may lead to unforeseen and unintended consequences".