On 18 January 2023 the High Court of Delhi supported the claim of a secondary school teacher challenging the school’s request to get vaccinated before being allowed to teach. The court noted that the personal autonomy of any individual includes the right to refuse medical treatments and, therefore, the right to refuse vaccination.
In doing so, the court relied on Jacob Puliyel v. Union of India & Ors. The court therefore ruled that employers cannot obligate employees to get vaccinated or ask for vaccination before giving permission to work.
Since the applicant had eventually been vaccinated after filing the claim and was allowed to work, the court noted that the only remaining issue concerned service benefits; therefore, the court directed the petitioner to make representation to the concerned authority with regard to this matter, and directed the authority to take a decision within 30 days.
