“The Court finds no necessity to provide additional directives. We have refrained from expressing opinions on the necessity of community kitchens, leaving it open to the States and Union Territories,” : Supreme Court.
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NEW DELHI: Today (22 Feb 2024), the Supreme Court declined to instruct the Central government to formulate a nationwide policy for establishing subsidized canteens or community kitchens across the nation.
Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal, presiding over the bench, highlighted that the National Food Security Act and other social welfare programs already exist to provide adequate quantities of subsidized food to the underprivileged.
“We find no necessity to issue further directives. We have refrained from expressing opinions on the necessity of community kitchens, leaving it to the discretion of the States and Union Territories to ensure the implementation of welfare Acts and schemes. The writ petition is hereby disposed of,”
-stated the bench, while reading out the operative part of its order.
The decision was made in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition advocating for the establishment of subsidized canteens (or community kitchens) in all States and Union Territories to ensure food security amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petitioner had urged the Court to direct the Central government to develop a national-level policy on this matter.
In November 2021, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the affidavit submitted by the Central government regarding the issue.
A bench consisting of the then Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli emphasized that State governments are obligated to establish such kitchens through a comprehensive scheme.
The bench asserted,
“If the objective is to address hunger and prevent fatalities, no State can refuse. It is the duty of every welfare State to address this… We cannot abandon the people in need and claim everything is under control,”
-during that period.
CASE TITLE:
Anun Dhawan & ors v. Union of India & ors.
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