The Indian Air Force has been served a show cause notice by the Gujarat High Court for forcing to dismiss an officer after he refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine stating that he was using ayurvedic medicines suggested by the AYUSH ministry to increase his immunity against COVID-19. The officer who challenged his termination in the Gujarat High Court has succeeded in getting a stay from the court.
The Gujarat High Court has issued a notice to the Indian Air Force on a petition filed by one of its personnel posted in Jamnagar, challenging the show cause notice issued to him for termination of service after he expressed his unwillingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
In an order passed on Tuesday, a division bench of Justices A J Desai and A P Thaker issued the notice to the IAF and central government and also directed the IAF not to take any coercive action against the petitioner till July 1.
Petitioner Yogender Kumar, an IAF corporal, had moved the HC seeking a direction to quash the show cause notice dated May 10, 2021, in which the IAF stated that his stand against vaccination “verges to gross indiscipline”, and his continuation in the service is likely to adversely impact the health of other “air warriors and AF civilians”.
“The IAF is of the opinion that your continuation in the disciplined force like Indian Air Force is undesirable and you need to be separated from the service,” the petitioner said quoting the notice issued to him.