By Express News Service
Published: 20th September 2014 06:16 AM
Last Updated: 20th September 2014 06:16 AM
HYDERABAD: The High Court on Friday refused to give any interim direction on a petition challenging GO Ms No.135 dated September 17, 2014 issued by the Andhra Pradesh government in respect of social security pension schemes.
Justice Nooty Ramamohana Rao was dealing with a lunch motion petition filed by Y Chandrasekhar Reddy, sarpanch of Anupalli in Chittoor district, and eight others against the GO. Petitioners’ counsel P Sudhakar Reddy contended that linking welfare schemes to Aadhaar card was arbitrary and violative of Supreme Court directions.
Out of 43.10 lakh beneficiaries, only 40.44 lakh have been issued Aadhaar card in Andhra Pradesh.
He said the government decided to launch a verification campaign in every gram panchayat/municipal ward from September 19 to 21 through gram panchayat, municipal, corporation committees and it would be impossible for the beneficiaries, especially migrant labourers, to make themselves available in their respective villages before the committees at such a short notice to prove their eligibility for obtaining pensions, etc. The counsel apprehended that there was every possibility of inducting the people closer to the party in power, in the name of social activists, in the said committees to conduct verification process.
He urged the court to declare the impugned GO as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional.
AP advocate-general P Venugopal said that the GO was intended to check irregularities, if any, in distribution of social security pension schemes etc. to the needy.
Government has decided to provide pensions to all eligible persons duly eliminating the ineligible cases, and decided to invoke linkage of Aadhaar authenticated disbursement from October 2.