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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a plea seeking Fair Price shop owners and workers to be declared as frontline essential workers during Covid 19 and to appoint civil defense volunteers to manage the cardholders during distribution of ration.

The Division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh passed the order while hearing a plea filed by Delhi Ration Dealers Union and others. The petition has been filed through Advocates Yash Aggarwal and Chitrakshi.

The petitioner Association has submitted that,

“the fair price shop worker have to undergo public dealing on day to day basis for distribution of ration because of which many of them and their family members have been infected with novel coronavirus”.

The petitioners have further pointed out that due notification no. l5(41)CFS/Dist/2020/859-71) dated 26.03.2020 by the government of NCT of Delhi, Office of Commissioner, food supplies and consumer affairs, the fairs price shops popularly known as "Ration shop owners" have been ordered to remain the shops open for all 7 days of the week and while performing their duty to distribute the ration they are are being exposed to the undetected virus on a daily basis.

It was further brought to the Court’s notice that after the State of Rajasthan issued a notice through its Finance department declaring fair price shop owners as frontline essential workers, other states have also started following the same.

The petitioners have further sought a direction to provide essential items, including masks and sanitizers, and face shields, on a daily basis to the fair price shop owners and workers.

The matter has been listed for next hearing on July 24^th.