HC Kohima Bench closes NFSA-related PIL
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 8
The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench on August 8 disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) following appointment of the Chairman and the Members of the Nagaland State Food Commission (NSFC) with a direction to appoints its Member Secretary within four weeks.
An order issued by the Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Food & Civil Supplies Department, dated January 10, 2023 appointing the NSFC with Geihwang Konyak as Chairman and Hoto YepthoMember and Medolenuo Ambrocia Loucü as members of NFSC, was also placed before the Division Bench of Justice Kakheto Sema and Justice Mitali Thakuria on Wednesday.
The members Chairman and members were appointed on a fixed remuneration for a period of five years with effect from the date of taking charge or till the age of 65 years, it stated.
In view of the above, the counsel for the petitioner Neiteo Koza submitted before the Court that the petition may be closed and allowing remaining issues made in the petition be addressed by the NSFC.
Other prayers in the PIL included a direction the State respondents to include eligible list of beneficiaries under the tide over scheme/tide over allocation under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 in Nagaland.
It also called for uploading the list of beneficiaries linked with their Aadhaar card under the tide over scheme in their official website as mandated under Section 11 and 12 NFSA.
Further, it prayed for constitution of an “independent enquiry committee for conducting social audit of the tide over rice allocation from the year 2016 till date. “
The PIL also asked for uploading of the social audit reports conducted from the year of commencing of the NFSA till date.
It also sought a direction to the concerned authorities to publish the list of beneficiaries under Antyodaya Anna Yojna and Priority Households in the official website of the department of Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Nagaland.
In addition, the PIL also prayed for a direction to the respondents to sensitise the public on the existing helpline number and procedure for approaching grievance redressal mechanisms for redressing their grievances.
In view of the submission made by the learned counsel for the petitioner, the Court disposed of the PIL with a further direction that the State respondents to take steps to appoint the Member Secretary within four weeks from August 7.
The PIL filed in August 2022 and subsequent Court hearings played a crucial role in expediting the establishment of the Commission.
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