The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration of Covid-19 vaccination on the CoWIN portal.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant was informed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that any one of the nine identity documents, including passport, driving licence, PAN card, voter’s Id card and ration card, can be produced for vaccination.
The apex court took note of the submission and disposed of a plea filed by Siddharthshankar Sharma, who claimed that the Aadhaar card was being mandatorily insisted upon for administering Covid-19 vaccination on the CoWIN portal.
The SC had on October 1, 2021, issued notice to the Centre on the PIL.
“Pursuant to this court’s order dated October 1, 2021, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has filed an affidavit which records that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration on CoWIN portal and one of the nine identity documents can be produced... It is also recorded in the affidavit that a provision has been made for another category of persons who may not have identity cards in their possession like prison inmates, inmates at mental health institutions, etc,” the bench said.
“Counsel for Union submits that about 87 lakh people without ID cards have been vaccinated. The grievance of the petitioner that he was denied vaccination for non-production of Aadhaar card has also been dealt with in the affidavit. The Health ministry addressed a letter to Principal Secretary, Health in Maharashtra to take action against the concerned private vaccination centre which denied vaccination to the petitioner despite production of a valid passport ID. The grievance of the petitioner is duly met. All concerned authorities to act in accordance with the policy of the government,” it said.