‘Go to Calcutta HC’: SC on plea against Bengal denying ration to persons excluded in SIR

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to urgently list a petition challenging the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal to deny ration benefits to those excluded from the electoral rolls after the special intensive revision exercise, Live Law reported.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Joymala Bagchi told the petitioners to approach the Calcutta High Court instead.

The petition was filed by the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, a farm labourers’ union. The union had challenged a June 4 order by the West Bengal department of food and supplies, and a May 19 notification by the department of women and child development and social welfare, Bar and Bench reported.

The order and the notification link beneficiary status under the public distribution system and the state government’s Annapurna Yojana scheme to an individual’s classification after the special intensive revision exercise.

The petitioners argued that 35 lakh to 60 lakh ration cards could become inactive if the government applies the new eligibility criterion.

The organisation contended that linking ration benefits to the electoral roll revision exercise violated the fundamental rights to equality and life, noting that the court itself had clarified that exclusion because of the special intensive revision would not determine economic vulnerability or the citizenship status of a person, Bar and Bench reported.

However, the bench on Tuesday asked...

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