Telangana to review cancellation of ration cards: SC

“... We are talking about food grains and families...you cannot cancel the ration cards en masse without giving any opportunity to these people,” the bench told advocate P Venkat Reddy, who appeared for the Telangana government.

Updated on: Apr 28, 2022, 06:00:34 IST

By Utkarsh Anand, New Delhi

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A government cannot deprive the poor of essential food grains by cancelling their ration cards without conducting a ground verification, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday as it directed the Telangana government to carry out a field authentication exercise of around 1.9 million ration cards cancelled by the state since 2014.

“... We are talking about food grains and families...you cannot cancel the ration cards en masse without giving any opportunity to these people,” the bench told advocate P Venkat Reddy, who appeared for the Telangana government.

The court was hearing a plea by Hyderabad-based activist SQ Masood that contended that the arbitrary cancellations of ration cards without following due process is depriving people of their rights. “The computer will throw up ration card numbers meant to be deleted and the authorities,” said the petition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utkarsh Anand
Utkarsh Anand is the National Legal Editor at Hindustan Times, where he leads the newspaper's coverage of the Supreme Court, constitutional law, the judiciary and the Union law ministry. He joined Hindustan Times in 2020 after stints at Press Trust of India (PTI), The Indian Express and CNN-News18, and has over two decades of experience reporting on law, governance and public policy. His work has focussed on some of India's most consequential constitutional and legal developments, including the Supreme Court's judgments on Article 370, marriage equality, decriminalisation of homosexuality, the Babri Masjid dispute, electoral reforms and judicial appointments. He specialises in making complex legal proceedings and judgments accessible to readers while examining their wider social and political impact. Beyond daily reportage, Utkarsh has led investigative projects and enterprise reporting that have shaped public debate and prompted institutional responses. His work has received several journalism awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. As National Legal Editor, he has also played a key role in expanding Hindustan Times' legal journalism footprint, mentoring reporters and strengthening coverage across platforms. A Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme Fellow, Utkarsh regularly writes analyses on the judiciary and constitutional issues, and his reporting is widely followed by lawyers, judges, policymakers, academics and readers seeking clarity on India's evolving legal landscape.Read More