HC seeks Delhi govt response after plea challenges jabs for school staff

Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the city government, its education and health departments and the school on the plea by a teacher who sought exemption from the rule, pointing out that an earlier allopathic treatment to cure a hand disorder had led to impotency

The Delhi high court on Friday asked the city government to respond to a plea challenging a decision making it mandatory for all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated to attend school.

The Delhi government’s circular made it mandatory for all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated by October 15 to be allowed to attend school. It warned that their absence would be treated as on leave. (AFP)

Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the city government, its education and health departments and the school on the plea by a teacher who sought exemption from the rule, pointing out that an earlier allopathic treatment to cure a hand disorder had led to impotency.

The Delhi government’s circular made it mandatory for all teachers and school staff to be vaccinated by October 15 to be allowed to attend school. It warned that their absence would be treated as on leave.

The Delhi government, on the last date (October 12), had told the court that they recently received requests from parents of primary school children too to reopen the school at the earliest and if due precautions are not taken then it may lead to the spread of Covid-19.

The petitioner said that in 2015, he started encountering the problem of hand dystonia and was diagnosed in 2018. The plea said that he took allopathic treatment for the same but his condition worsened due to medication. It said that due to the allopathic way of treatment, he started showing symptoms for impotence. It further said that his condition improved through meditation and ayurvedic medicines.

The matter would be heard in February 2022.