Case Note & Summary
The Supreme Court dismissed a batch of writ petitions and connected matters seeking compensation for deaths allegedly caused by COVID-19 vaccination -- The petitioners, including parents of deceased individuals, filed under Article 32 and before the Kerala High Court, requesting an independent expert board, AEFI protocols, and compensation -- The Kerala High Court issued interim directions for policy formulation, which were challenged -- The Supreme Court, led by Justice Vikram Nath, examined the legality of these directions and the role of judicial intervention -- It held that public health policy, including AEFI compensation, falls within executive domain and is governed by the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and guidelines -- The Court found no arbitrariness in the existing framework and set aside the High Court's interim directions as pre-emptive -- All petitions were dismissed, affirming that compensation claims must be addressed through statutory mechanisms, not constitutional writs
Headnote
The Supreme Court, in a batch of writ petitions and connected matters, addressed claims for compensation following deaths allegedly linked to COVID-19 vaccination -- The petitioners, sought constitution of an independent expert medical board, protocols for AEFI detection and treatment, and compensation under Article 32 of the Constitution -- The Kerala High Court, in Sayeeda K.A. v. Union of India & Ors., issued interim directions for formulating a compensation policy, which was challenged before the Supreme Court -- The Court held that judicial intervention in public health policy is limited and must respect the expertise of executive bodies -- It emphasized that compensation for AEFI is governed by the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and existing guidelines, not by constitutional writs -- The interim directions of the High Court were set aside as exceeding jurisdictional limits -- The petitions were dismissed, upholding the government's AEFI framework and rejecting claims for judicial mandamus on compensation
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Issue of Consideration: The Issue of whether the Kerala High Court's interim directions for formulating a compensation policy for AEFI cases were legally valid and whether judicial intervention is warranted in matters of public health policy and vaccine-related deaths
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Final Decision
The Supreme Court dismissed all writ petitions and connected matters, set aside the interim directions of the Kerala High Court, and upheld the government's existing AEFI framework under the Disaster Management Act, 2005
2026 LawText (SC) (03) 17
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1220 of 2021 with Civil Appeal No. of 2026 (Arising out of SLP(C) No. 16452 of 2023), T.P.(C) No. 1716 of 2023, T.P.(C) Nos. 2289-2294 of 2024
Vikram Nath J. , Sandeep Mehta J.
Not specified in provided text
Rachana Gangu & Anr., Sayeeda K.A., Renjith R, Jean George, Rajagopalan K, Ginu G Kumar, Ansaria AK, Narayan ` an MV & Anr.
Union of India & Ors., Serum Institute of India Limited & Ors.
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Nature of Litigation: Writ petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution and proceedings before the Kerala High Court seeking compensation and policy directions for deaths allegedly linked to COVID-19 vaccination
Remedy Sought
Petitioners sought constitution of an independent expert medical board, formulation of AEFI protocols, and grant of compensation for vaccine-related deaths
Filing Reason
Alleged deaths following COVID-19 vaccination, with claims of adverse events such as CVST, thrombocytopenia, and other complications
Previous Decisions
Kerala High Court issued interim directions in Sayeeda K.A. v. Union of India & Ors. for formulating a compensation policy, which was challenged before the Supreme Court
Issues
Whether the Kerala High Court's interim directions for formulating a compensation policy for AEFI cases were legally valid
Whether judicial intervention is warranted in matters of public health policy and vaccine-related deaths under Article 32
Submissions/Arguments
Arguments on behalf of appellants summarized in paragraph 9, but details not fully provided in text
Ratio Decidendi
Judicial review of public health policy is limited to examining arbitrariness and irrationality; compensation for AEFI is governed by statutory frameworks, not constitutional writs; courts should not substitute executive wisdom in policy matters
Judgment Excerpts
The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented period of suffering and disruption, which brought grief and hardship to countless families across the country -- The Court approaches the issues raised with a deep sense of empathy for the human loss endured during the pandemic, while remaining mindful that the questions before it must be examined with care and within the constitutional limits of judicial determination
Procedural History
Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1220 of 2021 filed under Article 32 before the Supreme Court -- Similar petitions filed before Kerala High Court, including Sayeeda K.A. v. Union of India & Ors. -- Kerala High Court issued interim directions on 01.09.2022 -- SLP(C) No. 16452/2023 filed challenging interim order -- Transfer Petitions filed to consolidate proceedings -- All matters listed together before Supreme Court with W.P.(C) No. 1220/2021 as lead case
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