Supreme Court Orders Swift Action on Ration Cards for Migrant Workers

The Supreme Court has directed state governments to issue ration cards to migrant and unorganised sector workers registered on the e-shram portal within four weeks. The Central government has been asked to provide extra foodgrains to states needing additional supplies. States must comply or face legal actions.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reiterated that state governments must issue ration cards within four weeks to migrant or unorganised sector workers registered on the e-shram portal. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah also directed the Central government to release extra foodgrains for states that have issued ration cards to workers lacking them.

The court expressed serious concern over the slow pace at which states are verifying and issuing ration cards. It directed that all states complete the work within four weeks and file compliance reports or face legal proceedings. Petitioners highlighted that several states had reported their National Food Security Act (NFSA) quotas were exhausted, necessitating Central government intervention.

In previous orders from March 2023 and 2024, the Court had mandated all State/UT governments to issue ration cards under NFSA to the 8 crore persons registered on the eShram portal but lacking ration cards. The court reiterated this requirement, emphasizing issuance irrespective of quotas defined in NFSA section 3.

The court noted that the National Food Security Act's coverage should be based on the latest census, but the stalled 2021 census has caused coverage to rely on the outdated 2011 census, excluding more than 10 crore people. Petitioners, represented by counsels Prashant Bhushan and Cheryl D'Souza, included Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander, and Jagdeep Chhokar. The suo motu petition addresses food security for migrant laborers, with the court underscoring that migrants and other workers form the country's backbone and deserve subsidized rations. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)