Only four per cent of the country's rural households and 23 per cent of urban households have computers, according to a national survey, the Supreme Court has said, expressing concern over the centre's vaccine policy while highlighting the gaping digital divide in India.
"There is a digital divide between urban and rural households. Vaccination policy relying on a digital portal would be unable to meet (the) target," the top court said in an order dated May 31, referring to CoWin, the government's online platform for vaccine registration.
"Marginalised sections of the society will bear the brunt of this digital divide and it will have serious implications on (the) fundamental right to equality," it further added. The order was made available on Wednesday.
The top court, for the second time in a week, on Wednesday discussed the government's decisions to distribute vaccines as the country fights a fresh wave of Covid. Days after the centre declared an ambitious goal of vaccinating all eligible people by the end of this year, the Supreme Court sought a roadmap of the plan on Wednesday.
Slamming the centre, the top court said the policy of giving free vaccination to the 45-plus age group in the first two phases of vaccination and having a paid system for those below, is "prima facie arbitrary and irrational".
On digital divide, the top court on Monday told the centre: "Everyone has to register on CoWIN (but) the digital divide... Is it realistically possible to expect (people) from rural areas to register on COWIN?"
"Villagers can go to computer centres and register... and they will be vaccinated. Is this really practical?" the court had asked, and also pointed out that migrant workers travelling from one state to another were unlikely to have even that level of access.
"Unless It Defeats Ends Of Justice...": Supreme Court On Denying Bail To Juvenile J&K Poll Dates Going Past Top Court Deadline? Election Body Chief Responds From Early Laws To Arizona: How Abortion Laws Have Evolved In The US Over The Decades Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources Video: Woman Tries To Jump Off Mumbai's Atal Setu, Saved By Driver, Cops How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan "Shoot Me Up With...": What Matthew Perry Told Assistant Hours Before Death Private Jets, Luxury Cars: Lavish Life Of "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha Kerala Launches 1st Digital Court For Negotiable Instruments Cases Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.