The Kerala High Court reportedly rejected a petition challenging the inclusion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph on Covid-19 vaccine certificates issued in the country.
The high court was hearing an appeal against a single-bench order which had rejected the petition and imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine on the petitioner.
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The petitioner, Peter Myaliparamphil had reportedly questioned the use of government funds to print the PM's photograph, as he is also the leader of a political party. The petitioner had claimed that this would affect people's independent choice of voting. He also said that inclusion of the PM's photo on the certificate serves no public purpose, as per reports. The petitioner wanted the government to give the option of a vaccine certificate without the PM's photo.
The court said that once the Prime Minister assumes office as per mandate of the people, he or she ceases to be leader of a party. The judges also rejected the claim that the photo on the vaccine certificate would affect voting rights, as per reports.
The petition had been filed in October and was rejected by a single-judge bench in December last year.