The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Secretary cum Food Commissioner of Delhi government to file a detailed compliance report with regards to its direction of 27th April directing to open ration shops during the working hours on all 7 days and 6th May directing to install complaint boxes at all ration shops and non-PDS distribution centers in relation to a plea filed seeking directions for the availability of ration to the people in need.
A division bench presided by Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh of Delhi High Court while conducting hearing through video conferencing noted in their order that they are disappointed and dismayed as the government had not complied with its directions while hearing PIL filed by Delhi Rozi-Roti Adhikar Abhiyan seeking directions to ensure that the issue of denial of access to food grains and other key resources based on non-availability of Aadhaar is immediately redressed during the time of this crisis.
Counsels appearing for the DRRAA Mr. Sanjay Parikh and Mr. Prasanna S. submitted before the court that “system adopted by the government of issuing e-coupons to those who do not have ration cards were inaccessible to the most vulnerable as it required a smartphone, ability to use the internet, generate OTP, upload photos of the family and a copy of the Aadhaar and finally to download the e-coupon.” He further submitted that the helpline numbers issued by the Delhi Government were inaccessible despite the order of the Court.
He informed the Court that “In terms of transparency in distribution, the government was uploading only the total number of ration cardholders/e-coupon holders who had been distributed rations, without disclosing details of who had received, how much rations. In violation of the court’s direction, no details of action taken on complaints were available in the public domain.”
Whereas the observed that “…the e-coupon system was not appropriate as it was inaccessible for people.” The bench further asked the counsel, whether the government was providing free public wi-fi all over Delhi.
The Court reiterated by saying that “…they didn’t want a single person in Delhi to go hungry and directed the government to immediately start distributing rations to needy persons.” The court suggested that the government could use indelible ink to prevent people from picking up ration more than once.
The matter will be heard next on 26th May 2020.
-India Legal Bureau