PIL in Bombay HC seeks uniform price for Covid vaccines by SII and Bharat Biotech

The petition sought directions to the central government to acquire the entire supply and control vaccine price.

The petition sought directions to the Central government to acquire entire supply and control vaccine prices. (Express photography by Arul Horizon)

A city-based lawyer and three law students moved the Bombay High Court Wednesday seeking directions to Covid vaccine makers to sell doses at an uniform rate of Rs 150 per dose.

Alleging discrimination over the differential pricing in vaccines for Centre, state and private hospitals, the litigants said in their plea: “Pharma giants are milking the fear psychosis of increased death rates due to Covid– 19 disease.”

The petition sought directions to the central government to acquire the entire supply and control vaccine price.

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The plea also sought from the court to set aside prices declared by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech for the state government and private hospitals and prohibit them from selling at Rs 150 per vial pending hearing.

The plea filed by lawyer Fayzan Khan and others through advocate Vivek Shukla alleged that the pharmaceutical companies are engaged in “organised loot” and the High Court should intervene to protect “national public health” and ensure that the fundamental right to equality and life under the Constitution are “not left to the mercy of pharmaceutical companies”.

The PIL is likely to be mentioned before the High Court this week.

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