The Calcutta High Court has refused to issue an interim order to stop the removal of beneficiaries from West Bengal’s ration and cash welfare lists, rebuking a farm labourers’ union for challenging the BJP government’s policy without presenting any actual victims.
During the proceedings, the Division Bench pointed out that the judiciary has not received a single complaint from anyone claiming to have been denied their socio-economic entitlements. The court observed that while the petitioning organization was raising alarms about mass deprivation, no directly affected individual had approached any court to report the loss of benefits.
State Defends Verification Process
The legal challenge centers on the government’s decision to strip ration benefits from individuals who were excluded from the electoral rolls following the recent Special Intensive Revision exercise.
Representing the state administration, Advocate General Surajit Nath Mitra argued against the necessity of an interim stay. He informed the court that the deletion of names is a structured process based on official inquiries. According to the state, individuals found to be deceased or missing from the updated voter lists must be removed from the welfare registry. The administration successfully requested additional time to gather instructions and submit a formal response.
Union Warns Of Mass Deprivation
The public interest litigation was initiated by the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity and a member of its state committee. The independent trade union argued that the ongoing verification process threatens the constitutional and statutory rights of millions of vulnerable citizens across the state.
Advocate Purbayan Chakraborty, appearing for the petitioners, pressed the court to temporarily freeze any further deletions from the beneficiary lists. He stated that marginalized residents are actively losing access to essential food allocations and cash assistance due to the policy.
Prior Supreme Court Appeal
The High Court’s scrutiny follows a recent procedural setback for the union at the national level. The Supreme Court previously refused to grant an urgent listing for the organization’s initial petition against the policy, instead instructing the body to seek relief through the Calcutta High Court.
With no immediate injunction granted, the state’s process of linking welfare eligibility to the revised electoral rolls continues. The Division Bench has scheduled the next hearing for July 21.
