Kolkata, June 29 -- A fresh public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the alleged stoppage of Public Distribution System (PDS) ration and benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme for people excluded from West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been filed before the Calcutta High Court.
The petition, filed by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, a registered and independent trade union that has been working with rural workers for over four decades, is expected to come up before the court on Wednesday.
The PIL contends that individuals whose names have been omitted from the revised electoral rolls are allegedly being denied access to essential welfare benefits, including subsidised rations and assistance under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme.
The petitioner has sought judicial intervention against the alleged linkage between electoral roll inclusion and eligibility for welfare schemes.
The matter reaches the High Court after the Supreme Court recently declined to entertain a similar plea filed directly under Article 32 of the Constitution. A vacation bench observed that the grievance primarily concerned actions allegedly taken by the state government and could be effectively examined by the Calcutta High Court.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.