Odisha- Prisoners who do not have requisite papers cannot be denied vaccination on those grounds.

In a significant judgment, the High Court of Orissa recognised the rights of prisoners during the COVID-19 crisis. The Court held that lack of documentation required for registration on the COWIN website could not be grounds for denying them vaccines. Alternate arrangements would have to be made by the State Govt.

Relevant extracts of the said judgment have been reproduced below-

“Accordingly, it is directed that the State Government will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that no prison inmate is denied vaccination only on the ground that the inmate is unable to get registered on the COWIN portal. Alternate arrangements should be made to ensure that vaccination is not denied to such inmate.”