Meghalaya High Court: The Division Bench of Biswanath Somadder, CJ. and H.S. Thangkhiew, J., had asked the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya to file a status report.
Upon perusing the report the Court found that it didn’t reveal any step taken by Meghalaya Police in order to specifically identify and book those persons who are responsible for spreading false rumours using various social media platforms with regard to the efficacy of the vaccines, in order to create an element of fear psychosis in the society, which is one of the primary reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the State of Meghalaya.
The Court appreciated the steps taken by the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of Meghalaya, but opined that they cannot allow the rumour-mongers to go scot-free. The Court sarcastically commented that these defaulters could be easily apprehended by the Meghalaya Police (provided it has the will to do so), since all of them are invariably using various social media platforms, thereby leaving an electronic trail.
The Court asked the Advocate General to take serious note of this matter and apprise the Court specifically on the next date the steps taken by the Meghalaya Police in this regard.[Registrar General v. State of Meghalaya, PIL No.6 of 2021, order dated 09-08-2021]
Suchita Shukla, Editorial Assistant has reported this brief.