Exclusive HOLI Discounts!
Get Courses and Combos at Upto 50% OFF!
Upgrad
LCI Learning

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on LinkedIn

Share on Email

Share More

Ration Card as Proof of Residence ?

(Querist) 25 June 2010 This query is : Resolved 

MUMBAI: The Congress-led Democratic Front government on Saturday said a
ration card should not be considered as proof of address or residence.

“Ration card is issued exclusively for obtaining essential commodities
from shops under the public distribution system. Under no circumstances,
should it be considered as proof of address or residence. We have asked
all heads of departments not to consider a ration card as proof of
residence or address,’’ J P Dange, chief secretary, said.

Over two crore ration card holders in Maharashtra have been using them as
proof of address or residence for years.

In an official circular, Dange said if authorities don’t consider a ration
card as proof of address, the misuse of ration cards will come to an end.
Besides department heads, the circular was sent to the regional passport
officer, the transport commissioner, MTNL, RBI, oil firms, Cidco, Mhada,
police and municipal commissioners and collectors.

While ordering all wings of the government not to consider ration cards as
proof of address or residence, chief secretary J P Dange said: “If an
organisation is considering to use the ration card as proof of residence,
it will have to take prior permission of the chief secretary.’’

The food and civil supplies department found that the oil companies ask
for ration card as proof of residence while issuing permit, MTNL and
transport commissioner for registration of telephone and vehicle, higher
and technical education department for admission, commissioner of police
for court cases, Mhada and Cidco for allotment of flats, collectors for
issuing caste certificates or voter cards, banks for issuing loans and
income-tax department for PAN cards. “Prima facie, it appears that these
organisations consider a ration card as proof of address or residence. Now
we are making it clear that a ration card is issued as per provisions of
the essential commodities Act for obtaining foodgrain from a PDS shop. As
such, it can’t be used a proof of residence or address,’’ Dange said.

When a ration card is issued, the food and civil supplies department
inquires about the address of the person. “The department never asks if
the residence if legal or otherwise, whether it’s a slum or a pucca house.
Since food is a basic requirement, ration card is issued to him so that he
can procure foodgrain from PDS shop. By and large, it is issued for a
period ranging between three months to five years. Once a ration card is
issued, the department has no machinery or network to check if the holder
or the family stay at that address or not. Such checking is never done and
not possible too. Further, there it’s not binding on a card holder to come
personally to procure the foodgrain. Taking into consideration all these
aspects, it will be wrong to consider the ration card as proof of address
or residence,’’ he explained.
s.subramanian (Expert) 28 August 2010
Good and well thought approach.


You need to be the querist or approved LAWyersclub expert to take part in this query .


Click here to login now



Similar Resolved Queries :