June 20, 2021 - shillongtoday.com

Meghalaya HC takes suo motu cognizance of mandatory vaccination orders

June 20, 2021June 21, 2021 Shillong Today

Shillong, June 23: The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday observed that â€œrequirement of vaccination should be directory and not mandatoryâ€, even as it clearly and unequivocally stated that â€œvaccination is the need of the hourâ€ and in fact â€œan absolute necessity in order to overcome this global pandemicâ€. Taking up for hearing a PIL moved by the Registrar General of the Court against the Meghalaya Government for making it mandatory for shopkeepers, vendors, local taxi drivers and others to get themselves vaccinated before they can resume their businesses, a division bench of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice H.S.Thangkhiew observed that the advice of the Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Health and Family Welfare Department that the orders for vaccination should be seen as â€œpersuasive advisoryâ€ and â€œnot as a coercionâ€, was a â€œstep in the right directionâ€. â€œArticle 21 encompasses within its fold, right to health, as a fundamental right. By that same analogy, right to health care, which includes vaccination, is a fundamental right,â€ the bench noted. â€œHowever, vaccination by force or being made mandatory by adopting coercive methods, vitiates the very fundamental purpose of the welfare attached to it. It impinges on the fundamental right(s) as such, especially when it affects the right to means of livelihood which makes it possible for a person to live,â€ the order stated. The Court also stated that the order issued by the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills district for all shops and commercial vehicle drivers to display signs of their vaccination status should be complied with, so that the public at large are provided with an option of making an informed choice. The Court also directed all shops/establishments/local taxis/auto-rickshaws/maxi cabs and buses to prominently display at a conspicuous place, a sign, â€œVACCINATEDâ€, in event of all employees, staff, driver or conductor or helpers are vaccinated and a sign, â€œNOT VACCINATEDâ€, if they are not vaccinated. â€œIn the event, any shops/establishments/local taxis/auto-rickshaws/maxi cabs and buses flouts the above directions, the concerned authority of the State shall immediately direct its closure/stoppage of plying,â€ the Court ordered. On the issue of vaccine hesitancy, the Court said the state government should deal with the matter as specified in the new guidelines of the principal secretary (health department) that the people need to be mobilised and convinced to see the impact of the new intervention for greater acceptance among the communities. â€œThe Court shall monitor this issue closely so that the State Government is able to overcome the vaccine hesitation problem at the earliest and all eligible persons in the State of Meghalaya are vaccinated well within the timeframe as may be specified by the State,â€ the Court said in its ruling. â€œIn the event, there is any attempt made by any person/organization to spread misinformation regarding the efficacy of vaccination amongst the people of this State, the concerned authority of the State shall immediately step in and proceed against such person/organisation in accordance with law,â€ the Court ordered, adding that such instances should be brought to its notice. Meanwhile, the Court has fixed the next hearing on the matter on June 30, 2021.

Shillong, Jun 20: The Meghalaya High Court has filed a suo-moto PIL against the mandatory vaccination. The PIL filed by the registrar of the Meghalaya High Court states that, it has been brought to it’s notice, the state through its Read more

Mukul: Escalation of prices of essential commodities overburdens the poor

June 20, 2021 Shillong Today

Shillong, Jun 19: Leader of Opposition, Dr. Mukul Sangma on Saturday said that the escalation of prices of essential commodities has overburdened the poor, who have also lost livelihood due to the ongoing pandemic. â€œI don’t see any measure or Read more

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Day: June 20, 2021

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