Sharing Beneficiaries' Personal Info With Fair Price Shop Owners Counterproductive To Doorstep Ration Delivery Scheme: Delhi Govt Seeks To Recall HC Order

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of Centre and Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh in an application moved by Delhi Government, seeking recall of the order wherein it was directed to issue communications to all fair price shop holders informing them about the persons who have opted for receiving rations at their doorsteps.

"...the data sought by the Petitioner Association such as details of the Head of the Family, his/her Aadhar number, mobile number, residence etc. is confidential in nature, and the disclosure thereof would be counter productive to public interest and would lead to harassment and coercion of these beneficiaries who indisputably belong to the poorest strata of society," the Delhi Govt has said in its application.

It has also informed the Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh that despite its order, the petitioner organisation had written to the LG on October 7 to stop the implementation of the scheme, thereby calling it a contempt of judicial order.

"There is no gainsaying that such sharp practices must be deprecated and dealt with a heavy hand," the application reads.

It has also been stated that the doorstep delivery model intends to curb and remedy the malaise and to subserve the interests of the targeted beneficiaries by reducing the time and effort spent by them in accessing food grains.

Accordingly, the Court has sought response from the Centre and the Petitioner-organisation on the recall application.

Meanwhile, Centre has moved the Supreme Court challenging the order in question dated September 27 by way of a Special Leave Petition. Through the said order, the High Court had modified it's earlier order directing the Delhi Government to not curtail the supply of food grains to fair price shop dealers.

Advocate Monika Arora appearing for the Centre submitted that the models which are run by different states have different scheme wherein the State Governments, having taken the food grains from Food Corporation of India's godown, then give it to the fair price shop owners which in turn form their private association for distribution.

"Doorstep delivery is at the position of fair price shop owners and not home," she contended.

Opposing this, the Delhi Government contended that similar model has been implemented by other States including Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Karnataka. Thus, there is no logic as to why Delhi people alone should be deprived of the benefit of receiving food grains at their doorstep and why a step motherly treatment should be meted out to them.

The matter will now be considered on November 22.

Case Title: DELHI SARKARI RATION DEALERS SANGH DELHI v. COMMISSIONER FOOD AND SUPPLIES GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS