Notice to Centre over ‘bad’ food for jawans

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, January 17

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Union Home Ministry and security forces seeking their response to a PIL alleging insufficient and bad quality of food being provided to jawans.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangeeta Dhingra Sehgal asked the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seem Bal and Assam Rifles to file status reports on the food quality.

The petition has been filed by a former central government employee, Puran Chand Arya, citing a Facebook post by BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav on alleged poor working conditions, including bad and inadequate food.

The BSF, however, told the Bench that it had already verified and found that there was no substance in Yadav’s allegations. Nevertheless, a further probe was on.

The petitioner has pleaded that action was needed on the issue in order to keep the morale of the security forces high. Clarity should be brought on ration procurement and food preparation, he said.