Mumbai: A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the different prices of corona vaccine for the Central and State Governments. The petition urged the Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech to sell the vaccine at a uniform rate of Rs 150 per dose.

A PIL filed by advocate Faizan Khan and three law students on April 24 said that the vaccine has been treated as an essential commodity and hence cannot be managed and distributed to private companies. It said, "These giant pharmaceutical companies are cashing in on the fear of increased mortality due to Covid-19. The PIL also questioned the rationale of the Central government asking state governments to compete in the open market for the vaccine.

The petition said, "The Central Government, as well as the State Government, have a constitutional obligation to protect the health of any citizen and there can be no bias. It is not proper to ask the State Governments to compete in the open market to buy vaccines from central and private hospitals".

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