Supreme Court Directs States To Continue Identifying Sex Workers, Distribute Dry Ration

The Supreme Court of India on February 28 officially ordered all the states and Union Territories (UT) to continue identifying sex workers and distributing dry rations. Honourable Justice L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai were attending an application filed on behalf of the country's oldest sex workers' collective, asking the Court to direct state governments to provide food and financial aid to sex workers in light of the pandemic.

As the reports were not realistic, states must make efforts and seek the assistance of Community-Based Organisations (CBO) rather than relying solely on the list prepared by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to implement directions.

And said, "The figures that have been given are not realistic, efforts have to be made by State Governments to take support of community-based organisations without relying only on the list submitted by NACO for the implementation of direction. Apart from ratio cards, States shall also issue voter cards to the sex worker. The State Governments/UTs shall continue to distribute dry ration to sex workers without any proof of identity", reported ANI.

Supreme Court Decision On The Filed Case

The Court added that, after the list got verified, voter ID cards will get issued to sex workers identified by NACO and CBOs. And the Court has requested that status reports on implementing the directions contained in the order dated January 10, 2022, get filed within three weeks. After four weeks, the case was scheduled.

The Unique Identification Authority informed the Supreme Court of India (UIDAI) that a suggestion had been made that Aadhaar cards would get issued to sex workers without requiring proof of identity, subject to the production of a certificate issued by a NACO gazetted officer. The amicus curiae requested more time to obtain instructions on the feasibility of the proposition.

Supreme Court Asks For Lists By The End Of September

The Supreme Court directed community-based organisations to compile a list of sex workers in their areas, verified by the relevant district legal services authority/State Aids control society.

On September 29, 2020, the Court directed all states to provide dry rations to sex workers identified by NACO without requiring any proof of identity. It requested a status report on compliance.

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