'Complete Process Of Issuance Of Voter IDs To Sex Workers' : Supreme Court Directs States

The Supreme Court today granted State Government/Union Territories two weeks time to the states to file status reports relating to the issuance of ration cards/Voters Identity cards and Aadhar Card to sex workers.While granting time, the bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai also directed the States/UT's to complete the process of issuance of voter cards/ration cards of sex workers.Directions were also issued to the Community Based Organisations to submit a list of sex workers to be identified by the District Legal Services Authority or the concerned State AIDS Control Societies. The bench further directed for forwarding the list to the State Governments/ UT's for issuance of Aadhaar/Voter Cards."The states/UT's are directed to complete the process of issuance of Voter Cards and report to this court within a period of 2 weeks from today. The basis of identification of sex workers need not be restricted to lists prepared by NAACO. Community based organisation shall submit a list of sex workers which shall be identified by DSLA/concerned states AIDS Control society. On such a suggestion, a list shall be forwarded to SG/UT's for issuance of Voter Cards/Ration Cards," the bench said in its order.The Top Court in its order also recorded that a large number of sex workers had Ration Cards and dry ration was also being provided to the sex workers who did not have ration cards without insisting on proof of residence.The bench in its order also noted that the counsel for UIDAI would take instructions for considering to grant Aadhar cards to the sex workers based on the list submitted by NACO without insisting on residential proof."The documents filed along with the affidavit show that the proof of residence has to be submitted for issuing Aadhar cards. Mr Zoehb Hussian(appearing for UIDAI) submitted that he would take instructions on the suggestions by Amicus Curia regarding exemption on submitting proof by sex workers who can be given Aadhaar on the basis of list submitted by NACO," bench in this regard said in the order.The Top Court on December 14, 2021 had directed the State Governments and Union Territories to commence the process of issuance of ration cards/ Voters Identity cards immediately to sex workers from the list that is maintained by NACO.Courtroom ExchangeWhen the matter was called for hearing, Advocate Sachin Patil for State of Maharashtra submitted that the state had identified 25,000 sex workers out of which dry ration was being provided to 25,000 sex workers but ration cards was issued to 20,000 sex workers."Even if you've not filed an affidavit and as you say that 20,000 have been provided ration cards- we will record your statement and say that you will have to get a status report in 2 or 3 weeks. Numbers are going on increasing. Don't leave them at the lurch. Provide them with ration please," Justice Rao the presiding judge of the bench remarked while asking the State to file a status report.With regards to the State of West Bengal, the bench on State of West Bengal's failure to file a status report deprecated the State's actions and said,"How many times do we tell you? In child matters also, you have not filed. We will have to file strictures against the state of WB. Why is that the State of West Bengal does not file an affidavit if other states are filing. If we're not taking a tough stand, you cannot take the court lightly . We ask you to take this matter very seriously. You file an affidavit within 2 weeks. We have been taking the matter regularly because ration is not being provided and survival is the problem."At this juncture, Advocate Sayandeep Pahari for West Bengal informed the bench that the State had provided some special coupons called as Khatiya Sathi in compliance with the Top Court orders.For the State of Uttar Pradesh, the counsel submitted that the State had to hold a meeting today on the aspect of issuance of Aadhaar cards to sex workers."Your state is going for elections but that does mean that you cannot file the affidavit. File the status report. When you have information, why don't you type it and give it to us? You have information, you don't file it," the bench remarked.Advocate Sandeep Jha appearing for the State of Rajasthan informed the Court that the State with the help of NGO's and States AIDS Control Society had identified 12713 sex workers. He further submitted that the process of issuance of ration cards had been started and the workers were being provided with dry ration without any documents."Don't delay the matters. They are not matters that can wait. This is a matter of survival. Ensure that you provide the ration, now again we're closing down. Take care of them," bench said to Advocate Sumeer Sodhi for the State of Chattisgarh.Advocate Jyoti Mendiratta appearing for GNCTD had submitted that the State Government had issued a SOP as per which ration was being provided to sex workers in 86 Public Distribution Centres without insisting on ration...

'Complete Process Of Issuance Of Voter IDs To Sex Workers' : Supreme Court Directs States

Shruti Kakkar

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