New Delhi: The Supreme Court, Monday, directed the state governments, including Odisha, to file their replies within four weeks regarding the steps they have taken to set up grievance redressal mechanisms under Food Security Act (FSA), 2013.
A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde and comprising Justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant adjourned the matter for four weeks.
Tamil Nadu, Nagaland and Jharkhand have filed their affidavits while the remaining states, including Odisha, were asked to file replies within four weeks.
During the hearing, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued that despite the court order, the government has linked ration cards with Aadhaar due to which over three crore beneficiaries have lost their ration. He also submitted to the apex court that around 85 per cent of them are poor.
However, Attorney General KK Venugopal opposed the argument made by the petitioner’s advocate. He submitted that let the petitioner inform the court as to where are those three crore deprived people.
The apex court had in December 2019 ordered all the state governments to file their replies on whether they have set up grievance redressal mechanism under Food Security Act to ensure food for all.
The apex court’s direction came after a petition was filed by Koili Devi from Jharkhand stating that people have been denied food in the absence of Aadhaar card which was against the guidelines of this court.
