Petition challenges move to link welfare benefits to SIR
Times of India | 30 June 2026
Kolkata: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Calcutta High Court, challenging the stoppage of ration and Annapurna Bhandar for persons excluded by Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted before the Assembly elections.
The matter has been filed by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, which is a non-party trade union working with rural workers. They earlier moved the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing. But the vacation bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi directed the organisation to approach the Calcutta High Court for the relief sought.
Advocate S Prasanna, on behalf of the farm labourers’ organisation, sought immediate intervention against what it described as a growing practice of linking access to welfare schemes with inclusion in voters' list.
During the hearing, the two-judge bench reportedly questioned the maintainability of the petition filed directly under Article 32 of the Constitution. The judges observed that the grievance was related to actions taken by the state govt and therefore it could be effectively examined by the jurisdictional high court.
However, the counsel argued that the issue would have ramifications before the state and that similar measures were allegedly being adopted elsewhere. It was also stressed that since the Apex Court has already dealt with the challenges relating to the SIR process, it should examine this issue as well.