A division bench comprising chief justice Sanjay Kumar and justice Lanusungkum Jamir on Wednesday closed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking to issue directions for carrying out door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination on priority basis for the elderly and for persons with disabilities who are unable to travel to vaccination centres.

The High Court stated that the vaccination cannot be compelled, and it is for the beneficiaries to come forward voluntarily. “As the state authorities have taken adequate measures, the court sees no reason to issue any further directions. It is left open to the authorities to continue with the vaccination drives so that willing beneficiaries can be provided with the available immunisation against the pandemic,” it observed.

The PIL was filed by a social activist Ringbam Kamei to direct the state authorities to carry out the door-to-door vaccination for the said groups. He also sought a direction to the authorities to identify the elderly and the persons with disabilities who require such home-vaccination and to make arrangements. 

“The state authorities have done all that is within their ken to reach out to the aged and the differently-abled so that facilities could be provided for their easy vaccination” stated the HC.

However, the HC expressed distress to note that the organisations working in the state for the welfare of persons with disabilities did not come forward or respond to the overtures of the state authorities so as to render assistance to those with disabilities