A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court for doorstep distribution of cash relief of ₹1,000 granted by the State government to ration cardholders or in the alternative to ensure physical distancing between the beneficiaries at ration shops. Advocate G. Rajesh has filed the case stating that the government had decided to provide free rice, cooking oil, sugar, other essential commodities and cash relief of ₹1,000 to ration cardholders in view of the threat posed by COVID-19 and consequent loss of livelihood.
To avoid crowding at ration shops to collect cash, the government had announced that only 100 beneficiaries a day would be given cash at every ration shop by issuing tokens to them at their doorsteps.
However, claiming that the modalities with respect to the time when the beneficiaries should assemble at the ration shops and the physical distancing norms to be followed in the course had not been made clear, the petitioner feared overcrowding at ration shops to collect the money.
Since the purpose of promulgation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure across the State was to ensure physical distancing, the petitioner said, the government should consider disbursing cash at the doorstep of every beneficiary.
