New Delhi [India], January 17 (ANI): A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of Centre's direction making it compulsory for children aged between 15 and 18 to be vaccinated.

The petition was filed by Daniyelu Kondipogu and others seeking to quash the order dated January 4, 2022, of the Union of India making covid vaccination of children within the age group of 15-18 compulsory.

The petition has mentioned that the COVID-19 vaccine has already caused severe adverse events leading to death in many children in the short time since the program has begun.

The petitioners have also claimed that their children had died due to various complications after taking the covid vaccine.

The petition has sought an order constituting a group of experts to investigate the deaths of children reported in this petition and other similar deaths and to make a report to this court within one week along with recommendations as to whether the COVID-19 vaccine should or should not be administered to children.

The petitioners also urged for an order directing payment of compensation as deemed fit by the court.

"This is deeply disturbing as any mandate is illegal, and is counter to the Central Government's instruction, being explicitly clarified in the Counter Affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on 28th November 2021, on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Central Drugs Standard Control, that the vaccines are "voluntary," the plea said.

"Furthermore, as seriously problematic as a roll-out is with regard to 'informed consent, which is legally required, as no informed consent is properly possible in a roll-out. The vaccination of children despite this, has been authorised and is even being mandated illegally, without authority and in writing, by local government bodies, "the plea added. (ANI)