New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to continue hearing arguments on Tuesday in a case concerning alleged adverse effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. The petition, filed by two individuals, challenges the government’s stance on the vaccination drive and claims the deaths of their daughters were caused by the Covishield vaccine.
During the last hearing in October, the government sought the dismissal of the petition filed in 2022 by Rachana Gangu (from Hyderabad) and Venugopalan Govindan (from Tamil Nadu). They allege their daughters, aged 19 and 20, died due to adverse effects of the vaccine. Despite the government’s plea, the court listed the matter for further hearing on November 26.
The government’s counsel argued, “Covid is long gone. Vaccination is long over,” and requested the case be dismissed. However, the petitioners’ counsel countered, claiming, “Tens of thousands of people, including children, have died.” The counsel further accused the government of misleading the public by asserting the vaccine was “absolutely safe.”
After hearing both arguments, the court decided to continue the proceedings.
The government reiterated its stance that the vaccination program was voluntary, noting that 220 billion doses had been administered across the country. In an earlier affidavit, the government stated that it encouraged vaccination but did not mandate it. The guidelines from the health ministry explicitly required individual consent before administering the vaccine.
The petitioners, however, refuted these claims in a rejoinder, alleging that the government coerced people into vaccination through direct and indirect actions. They also called for fast-track and vaccine-specific courts to ensure swift justice for those affected by adverse vaccine events.
The parents criticized the government and vaccine manufacturers for promoting vaccines as the sole solution to the pandemic without sufficient evidence. They claimed there was no training for doctors to handle adverse events, and healthcare institutions were instructed not to record significant side effects.
They further alleged that they were not informed of potential serious adverse events, such as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), at the time of vaccination. According to their petition, the government failed to provide early warnings or adequately publicize known adverse effects, instead downplaying the severity of potential side effects.
In their writ petition, the parents sought compensation and the establishment of an independent expert medical board to investigate their daughters’ deaths. They also requested a protocol for early detection and treatment of adverse events following immunization (AEFI).
The case, which has raised questions about vaccine safety and the government’s approach, is now awaiting further deliberation by the court.
