The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government why it needs an approval from the Centre to start door-to-door vaccination programme for senior citizens, specially-abled and bedridden persons in the state.

The state government on Tuesday filed an affidavit in the HC, saying home vaccination on an experimental basis can be started, but only for those who are completely immobile and bedridden. It, however, also said the proposal will have to be first approved by the Union government. "Why do you (Maharashtra government) need approval? Health is a state subject too. Is the state government doing everything after taking approval from the Centre? Have states like Kerala, Bihar and Jharkhand taken approval from the Union government?” a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni asked.