The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday questioned the Central government why Covaxin, the vaccine against COVID-19 which was developed with the assistance of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), has been manufactured only at a private institute. The court asked the Centre to explain the amount incurred by the government to procure COVID vaccines and what steps have been taken to revive the vaccine institutes. The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court was also hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to manufacture Covaxin in the Chengalpet HLL unit.