Clampdown on social media pleas for help is contempt of court: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday flagged the issue of threat of coercive action against people putting SOS calls on social media.

"We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media and internet then it cannot be said its wrong information",the court said during a hearing on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

"We don't want any clampdown of information. We will treat it as a contempt of court if such grievances is considered for action.

Let a strong message go to all the states and DGP of states", Supreme Court Justice DY Chandrachud said.

The court also questioned the rationale of differential COVID-19 vaccine pricing for the centre and state. "Why is the government not buying 100 per cent of the doses produced," it asked.

"Don't leave it to the manufacturers. How will they determine equity? Invoke your powers to see that additional facilities are created for vaccine manufacturing", Justice Chandrachud told the Solicitor General.

The centre should adopt national immunization model as poor people will not be able to pay for vaccines, it added.

The court also opined that hostels, temples, churches and other places be opened for converting them as COVID care centres.

The Supreme Court was hearing the suo motu case on Covid management across the country.

The division bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat is hearing the case.

In its last hearing on April 27, the bench had asked the state governments to file a report on their health infrastructure and did not restrain the High Courts from passing any order on Covid.