Issue ration and voter cards to sex workers, Supreme Court tells govt

The Supreme Court today directed the Centre and states to consider the idea of providing ration cards and voter identity cards to sex workers without insisting on strict verification like seeking their professional status.

A bench of Justice Markandeya Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra passed the order while accepting the third report of a panel constituted by it to suggest measures for recommending rehabilitation of sex workers.

The panel comprises senior advocates Pradeep Ghosh, Jayant Bhushan and officers bearers of certain NGOs.

"We are of the opinion that the suggestions of the panel are good suggestions. Sex workers face great difficulty in getting ration cards, voter's identity cards or in opening bank accounts, etc. We are of the opinion that the authorities should see to it that sex workers do not face these difficulties as they are also citizens of India and have the same fundamental rights as others.

"We, therefore, recommend that the suggestions made by the panel in its third interim report shall be seriously taken into consideration by the central government, the state governments and other authorities and hence all efforts shall be made to implement these suggestions expeditiously. If there is any difficulty in implementing them, then on the next date we should be told about such difficulty," the apex court said.