COVID-19 vaccination without aadhar card possible; 87 lakh inoculation done ID-less: Centre to SC

 

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On Monday, the Central Government told Supreme Court that Aadhaar card is not a mandatory pre-condition for registration on the CoWIN portal for COVID-19 vaccination.

While hearing a PIL claiming some centres insist on Aadhaar card for vaccination, the Bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Surya Kant asked the authorities to not insist on production of the Aadhaar card as the only proof of identification for the purpose of registration for vaccination.

"Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHFW) filed an affidavit in the petition. It specifically records that the Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration on the CoWIN portal and any one of the nine documents can be produced. Production of the Aadhaar is not mandatory for availing vaccination," the bench said.

However Advocate Aman Sharma, appearing for the ministry, told the bench that Aadhaar is not the only pre-condition and over 87 lakh people have been inoculated without any identity card.

Meanwhile, more than 14.70 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Sunday as the country's COVID-19 vaccination inched closer to the 170 crore mark.