Cuttack: With thousands of migrant workers facing difficulties to register themselves for homecoming amid COVD-19 outbreak, the Orissa High Court has said that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for this registration.
Hearing a PIL filed by Mahendra Kumar Parida Thursday, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice CR Dash said that apart from the Aadhaar card, several other documents can be used as identity proof while registering for the return journey.
Arguing on behalf of petitioner Parida, advocate Iswar Mohanty submitted the PIL mentioning that the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar.
The bench issued a notice to state government in this connection.
On behalf of the state government, advocate general Ashok Kumar Parija filed an affidavit stating that 19 documents are now listed as proof of identification for registration of migrant workers.
The documents the state government will allow for verification of identity are: arms licence, voter ID card, Passport, PAN card, driving license, freedom fighter card with photograph, cast and domicile certificate with photograph, passbook of post office or any scheduled bank with photograph, certificate of address having photograph issued by MP/ MLA/ Group A gazetted officer, address card with photograph issued by Department of Posts, certificate of address with photo from government recognised educational institutions, certificate of photo identity issued by panchayat head, Kisan passbook having photo, CGHS/ ECHS card, pensioner card having photograph, photo ID card of central government/ central PSU or state government/ state PSU and photo credit card.
PNN