The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea raising concerns over the government-run nationwide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign for adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana said whenever there was a case of incorrect vaccination, ordinary rules of compensation would apply.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Universal Health Organisation challenging the manner in which the government-backed HPV vaccination programme is being implemented. The plea alleged that it violated constitutional guarantees of informed consent, bodily autonomy, transparency and accountability.

“Don’t ask us to make harsh observations. If petitioner members are doctors, it is a very serious issue. It is a question of the health of millions of our daughters,” Chief Justice Kant addressed the petitioner counsel.

The lawyer said he was only flagging the lack of an adverse-event mechanism and compensation scheme, and nothing on the HPV vaccine per se. He was allowed to withdraw the petition.