The Delhi High Court has ruled that a ration card is not a reliable proof of address or residence. The court emphasized that a ration card is specifically for the public distribution system and does not serve as an identity proof of residence. Therefore, individuals holding ration cards should seek alternative documents for address verification as per the recent court order.
Justice Chandra Dhari Singh ruled that a ration card does not constitute a proof of residence under the National Food Security Act. The card is defined as a document issued by the State Government for the purchase of essential commodities from fair price shops under the Targeted Public Distribution System. The court ruled that a ration card does not amount to an identity proof of residence for any Ration Card holder.
The court heard pleas by three residents of Delhi’s Kathputali colony seeking alternative accommodation under the rehabilitation scheme following the re-development of the area. The petitioners’ claim for rehabilitation was rejected by the Eligibility Determination Committee (EDC), and they moved the appellate authority, which set aside the EDC order. However, the Nodal Officer of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) reversed the orders, citing the petitioners’ non-possession of ration cards.
The DDA re-examined the case and found that one petitioner’s case was inadvertently recommended for ‘non acceptance’ by the Competent Authority due to mixing of records with other 62 cases. The DDA rectified its mistake by withdrawing the letter and granting relief.
The other two petitioners challenged the Nodal Officer’s jurisdiction to reverse the appellate authority’s order. They argued that the policy of 2015 did not mandate having a ration card before being amended abruptly in 2015. The court held that DDA had wrongly relied on ration cards as proof of address and that mere non-issuance of a ration card cannot be a ground for denial of alternative allotment.
