The court was hearing a plea that sought urgent need for transparency in the distribution of food grains through PDS
The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Delhi government to ensure that the all person in need is provided with food grains, without any bureaucratic hurdles. The bench observed that “any person who is hungry should be eligible for grain”.
A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh further directed the Delhi government to “place complaint boxes at every PDS (Public Distribution System (PDS) and Non-PDS distribution centers, within three days from today”.
The bench also sought compliance affidavit “within a period of four working days from today” of its April 27 order, by which it had directed the Delhi government to ensure delivery of food grains to the poor from the PDS ration shops, on all seven days of the week.
The court sought the compliance report, after it was apprised that, despite its order, all ration shops are not operational in the national capital and needy are deprived of food grains.
The court’s direction came on a plea by Delhi Rozi-Roti Adhikar Abhiyan (DRRAB) which highlighted the ground reality based on visits to ration shops, and pressed for the need to ensure effective and time-bound redress to complaints of non-supply of rations.
The plea has sought urgent need for transparency in the distribution of food grains through PDS and other mechanisms like e-coupons to ensure that people do not go hungry during the lockdown.
On its previous direction to the upload the details of shop-wise distribution of ration to both the PDS and non-PDS residents on their official website, the bench was of the view that it should be simplified as the poor won’t be able to understand the same.
The bench listed the matter for further hearing on May 18.