Supreme Court: Aadhar cannot be mandatory for COVID-19 vaccination services

The grievance of the petitioner that he was denied the facility of a vaccination for failure to produce an Aadhar card has also been dealt with in the counter affidavit. It has been stated that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addressed a communication dated 2 November 2021 to the Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department of the State of Maharashtra to take action against the concerned private CVC for denying vaccination to the petitioner despite the production of a valid passport ID.

A provision has been made to conduct vaccination sessions for other categories of persons who may not have any identity cards in their possession at all, including persons without a fixed place of abode, prison inmates, inmates in mental health institutions, persons in old age homes and road side beggars.

The Supreme Court therefore directed that-

“Aadhar card is not a mandatory pre-condition for availing of vaccination facilities, the grievance of the petitioner is duly met. All concerned authorities shall act in pursuance of the stated policy.”