No rational and fair policy to identify migrants: Karnataka HC observes in plea seeking transportation of migrants to home states

The Karnataka High Court last week criticised the state government for not coming up with a "fair and transparent policy" for the transportation of migrants to their home states. .The Court made the observations while dealing with a plea seeking the transportation of migrants to their home states. .Expressing its displeasure, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice B V Nagarathna observed,."From the written submissions which are filed today and earlier, we record that there is no rational system adopted by the state government to identify migrant workers who wants to go back to their respective states... The writtent submissions filed today do not answer what was expected by the State govenrment..."Karnataka High Court.Adding on, the Court said,."Repeatedly, this Court has passed an order that there has to be fair and transparent process for identification of migrant workers who would like to go back to their respective states. However, the State has taken different stands on different occasions.".The Bench referred to the Supreme Court's order in the suo motu migrants matter passed on June 9, stating that the intent behind that order appears to properly identify each and every stranded migrant worker who wants to go back to his home state..[Breaking] Transport stranded migrants within 15 days, set up help desks for employment opportunities: Supreme Court directs Centre, states.On this note, the Court further pointed out on June 1, the High Court was informed that the remaining number of workers yet to be transported was over 7 lakh. However, before the Supreme Court, on June 5, the number of migrants yet to be transported from Karnataka was shown as less than 1 lakh, Court highlighted. .Taking note of this inconsistency, the Bench queried, "How has the number of migrants significantly come down in 4 days?".[Migrant Crisis] SMS verification appears to be an exercise to exclude large numbers of migrant workers registered to go home: Karnataka HC .The Court further noted that one category of migrant workers is residing in shelter camps. However, there has been nothing placed on record to show that efforts have been taken by the state government to visit these shelter homes and generate data of migrant workers wishing to return to their states, the Court held. ."This exercise to ascertain where they (migrant workers) are should start from shelter homes.".The Court also noted that the state government had not come up with a plan on how to transport persons to smaller states, thus disregarding the Court's earlier order. .[Migrant Crisis] Come up with fair and transparent policy to select migrants for transportation back to home States: Karnataka HC to State .During the hearing, Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa, appearing for the state government, informed the Court that 18 mustering centres have been set up in 13 districts in the state, in line with the earlier Court order..Considering this point, the Court asked, ."How are people informed that they have to report to mustering centres in order to travel via Shramik Trains?"Karnataka High Court.Advocate Clifton D'Rozario argued that the helpline made available for workers to travel via Shramik Trains is not functional. He pressed for some kind of helpline to be publicized for the benefit of migrants. .A day after Karnataka HC passes order, state government decides to bear cost of travel for outgoing migrants amid COVID-19 Lockdown.With these observations, the Court opined that identification of migrant workers is not being done by the state government "in its true letter and spirit". .The matter will be next heard on June 18..On the said date, the Court shall also look into issues such as lack of PPE kits and masks, availability of ration for all etc.