Supreme Court Questions Cancellation Of 3 Crore Ration Cards

Aadhaar is one of the most important identity documents and previously the government had made it compulsory to link the Aadhaar card with many other documents such as PAN card, and Ration card. A ration card is a card through which people who cannot afford to buy groceries can have for themselves and for their family through using a ration card at a very low price.

Currently, news has been reported that on Wednesday that the Supreme Court has shown serious concern over the Central Government’s decision to cancel 3 crore ration cards due to the non-linking of the Aadhaar card with the ration card. Supreme Court had passed the order to the Government of all states to give a quick response on this matter. This matter should not be construed as adversarial, according to a bench composed of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna, and V Ramasubramanian. The matter will be brought to a conclusion, according to the bench. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who is representing petitioner Koili Devi, stated at the outset that the petition is about a bigger problem.

“We see the issue at hand, and I’ve dealt with similar cases in the Bombay High Court, and I believe this case should be brought before the high court in question.” The Chief Justice of the International Court of Justice (CJI) stated. The bench informed Gonsalves that he had requested a broad type of relief and had broadened the scope of the case.

Gonsalves continued in his claim that it is a critical issue, citing the fact that the government has revoked approximately three crore ration cards. Gonsalves has convinced the bench that the Central Government has canceled the ration cards, so the case will be heard on another day. Gonsalves’ claim that the Central Government has canceled the ration cards is false, according to Additional Solicitor General AmanLekhi. “Because of the Aadhaar issue, we are requesting a response from the Centre. This is not a case in which the parties are pitted against each other. Finally, we’ll hear it. send out a notice that must be returned within four weeks “, said the bench.

According to Lekhi, a notice has already been issued in the matter, and the Centre’s response is on file. According to Gonsalves, a notice has been issued on the primary plea, but the alternative grievance has been resolved. “The principal issue is the cancellation of 3 crore ration cards, which will result in hunger death,” Gonsalves explained.

The Supreme Court had requested responses from all states on December 9, 2019, in response to allegations of hunger deaths of people who were denied ration supplies due to a lack of valid Aadhaar cards. According to reports, the details were not due to starvation, the Centre had previously stated that “no one has been denied food due to a lack of valid Aadhaar cards.” The PIL was filed by Devi, whose 11-year-old daughter Santoshi died of suffocation on September 28, 2018, in the Simdega District of Jharkhand. Gudiya Devi, Santoshi’s sister, is a co-petitioner in the case. Santoshi, who came from an illiterate and poor Dalit family, died as a result of the local organization that canceled her family’s ration card because they were not able to connect their Aadhaar card with their ration card, according to the petition.