Supreme Court issues notice in plea seeking Food security for refugees, asylum seekers

The Supreme Court on Monday has issued notice on a plea seeking direction ensuring ensure food security for all refugees and asylum seekers, particularly those residing in settlements.

A division bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice AS Bopanna noted that "Alright! we'll issue notice and hear the matter."

The plea filed by Fazal Abdali through Advocate Amiy Shukla said, "The present economic downturn resulting from the covid crisis has precipitated the food insecurity being faced by refugees and asylum seekers, and the failure by the state authorities to take steps to ameliorate them will have crippling consequences for the refugee population."

Shukla submitted that "The support from the civil society organisation was limited in 2020 and no support has been extended to these families during the second wave of COVID pandemic."

Justice Chandrachud asked the petitioner whether the issue survives at present as you are talking about the second wave of the COVID pandemic, to which Shukla said yes and the Court issued notice.

Shukla further submitted that the right to food is an implication of the right to life enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India. It encompasses the right to have regular, permanent, and unrestricted access to quantitatively and qualitatively adequate and sufficient food.

The plea has further sought direction to make arrangements for setting up community kitchens across all settlements where refugees and asylum seekers are residing.

The plea has further sought direction "to make arrangements for the provision of foodgrain entitlements in consonance to the provisions of Section 3 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 and also seek the distribution of nutritious food in accordance with sections 4, 5 and 6 of the National Food Security Act for the children and women through Anganwadi centres and furthermore to supply three free nutritious cooked meals a day to refugees and asylum seekers that require cooked meals."

Case Title: Fazal Abdali v. Union of India & Ors