 to take necessary steps by November 19.){kind=link}
The Supreme Court took cognizance of delay in granting ration cards to eligible migrant workers.
A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah gave a final opportunity to the Central government and the governments of States and Union Territories (UTs) to take necessary steps by November 19.
The Court further warned that it may summon the secretaries of defaulting States for contempt of court if the needful is not done. Justice Amanullah remarked that they have lost patience, and that they are making it very clear that there will be no more indulgence.
The Supreme Court was hearing a suo motu case concerning the welfare of migrant workers, which was initiated during the COVID lockdown of 2020. During the hearing today, the intervenors in this case argued that the Centre has failed to comply with the directions issued by the Court in a June 2021 judgment.
In that judgment, the top court had called for the issue of ration cards to migrant workers as they were eligible for the same under the National Food Security Act. The top court had asked the Centre to grant ration cards to migrant workers registered on the e-Shram portal, a centralised database of unorganized workers.
The bench remarked that they had made it clear that those remaining 8 crore ration cards based on those registered on e-Shram portal have to be issued, and then they can proceed further.
Responding, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who represented the Central government said that the states will have to respond and comply, and it is a dynamic process. The Centre also explained that under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, a scheme for the distribution of rations for the poorest of the poor sections of society, only one ration card is issued per priority household.
It further added that the non-issue of cards to other members of the same family cannot amount to contempt of the Court’s directions. The bench verbally noted that this argument, prima facie, has some basis.
Nonetheless, Justice Amanullah minced no words in warning the government authorities that ration cards yet to be issued to migrant workers found eligible for the same must be issued immediately. The matter is scheduled for next hearing on November 19.
Earlier, the bench had taken exception to the failure to comply with a March 19 order to provide ration cards to nearly 8 crore migrant workers. The court had ordered states and Union Territories to complete the said exercise within two months, after it noted that its year-old order to provide ration cards to migrant workers was yet to be implemented.