Supreme Court Mandates No-Fault Vaccine Compensation Policy

The Supreme Court urged the Centre to implement a no-fault compensation policy for those facing severe adverse effects from Covid vaccinations. It stressed the need for transparency and periodic release of relevant data without establishing a new expert body, while protecting individual rights under the Constitution.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union government to establish a no-fault compensation policy for individuals experiencing serious adverse effects from Covid vaccinations.

The court emphasized that the current system for tracking adverse events should continue and recommended that relevant data be periodically disclosed based on its previous ruling in the Jacob Puliyel case from May 2022.

Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta declared that while a new expert body is unnecessary, individuals can still seek legal remedies. The ruling clarified that creating a no-fault compensation framework does not imply liability by the government.

(With inputs from agencies.)