Delhi High Court Issues Notice In Plea Seeking Free Of Cost Vaccination Of Class X, XII Students Appearing For Board Exams In Offline Mode

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice in a plea seeking directions to provide free of cost vaccination to students of class Xth and XIIth appearing in their board examinations in an offline mode.

A division bench comprising of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to Union of India through Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Government of NCT of Delhi.

The plea moved by three advocates namely Jyoti Aggarwal, Sanjivani Aggarwal and Pradeep Shekhawat highlights that there is an urgent requirement for vaccinating such students who are appearing for their examinations in offline mode.

Requesting that the aforesaid examinations may be conducted on an online medium, the petition reads thus:

"If for some reasons the online exams are not feasible, then in that case the board exams for the session 2020-2021 be held off-line for class "X' and class 'XII' students. In the best interest of students appearing for the above-mentioned exams, it is humbly requested to give them the vaccination for COVID-19 on urgent basis."

Highlighting that the news reports suggest that the new COVID strain is affecting the youngsters also, the petition raises the following question of law:

"Whether denial of vaccination to the students of Class 'X' and class 'XII' violates the fundamental rights of the students as guaranteed to them under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India?"

The petition seeks the following prayers:

-Issue any appropriate writ, order or direction thereby directing the respondents Ministry of Health (Union of India), Ministry of Education (Union of India) and the Government of NCT of Delhi to provide and administer COVID-19 Vaccination free of cost to the students of class X and class 'XIT in Delhi, who will be appearing for their board exams in an off-line mode.

- Pass any such other or further order or direction as this Hon'ble Court may in the facts and circumstances of the present case deem fit and appropriate, in favor of the petitioner and against the respondent.