Employee unwilling to take vaccine challenges IAF notice

Moves Gujarat HC saying decision to dismiss him is contrary to Centre’s guidelines

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. A Division Bench of Justices A.J. Desai and A.P. Thaker on Tuesday issued the notice to the IAF and the 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 court seeking a direction to quash the May 10, 2021 show-cause notice, 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”.