Unvaccinated teachers can stay at home, says Madras HC

The Madras High Court on Monday dismissing a plea as withdrawn said that if the instructors want to go to school, they must get vaccinated first to protect the students from the dreaded disease.

Chennai:The Madras High Courtobserved that teachers who do not want to get vaccinated can remain at home without going to school and putting the lives of students at risk. "If the instructors want to go to school, they must get vaccinated first in the interest of students, so as to protect them from the dreaded disease," the court said.

The bench of Acting Chief Justice M N Bhandari was hearing a PIL petition filed by the Academic Resources Advancement Movement Trust which opposed a state government order, stipulating that all the teachers should get vaccinated before attending schools. The petitioner contended that the state government order was against the order of the Centre, which stated vaccination was only voluntary.

Fearing dismissal of the case, the petitioner opted to withdraw the same and the bench dismissed it as withdrawn.