New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 15) observed orally that those who have been excluded from electoral rolls in West Bengal following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will remain entitled to certain benefits such as ration.The top court made the remarks while a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing the plea of Mohibulla Mondal, reported LiveLaw.Through his petition, Mondal sought directions to prevent deletion/cancellation/suspension of his ration card after the order passed by the state’s Department of Food and Supplies in June.Mondal also prayed that the supply of subsidised food grains to him be not disrupted until his appeal challenging exclusion from the electoral rolls is decided by the Appellate Tribunal.“You are right. Even if your name is removed from the electoral roll, you are entitled to certain benefits. But those benefits can be granted by the high court very well…Tomorrow, if your appeal is allowed, entire exercise becomes academic”, said CJI Kant.Appearing for Mondal, his counsel senior advocate Shadan Farasat gave the example of Bihar and said that the court has “drawn a line” and things will be clearer if the court enforces it.He requested the court if it may take up the issue in any one matter and clarify the position.“not one matter. we are only saying we will clarify in 100 matters if need be. But we are quite sure the High Courts will not give us a chance to clarify. They will understand this very well. You are entitled to certain benefits. Go through jurisdictional High Courts, they will grant it,” said CJI Kant in response, reported LiveLaw.Thereafter, the apex court requested the Appellate Tribunal to expedite the hearing of Mondal’s appeal and decide it preferably within 2 months. The court said that if his grievances are not fully addressed the petitioner would be at liberty to approach the high court.Earlier, the Supreme Court had clarified that deletion from the electoral roll will not take away the citizenship rights of a person because the Election Commission of India (ECI) is not the authority to authoritatively determine citizenship status.However, days after forming the government in West Bengal, the BJP’s first chief minister in the state Suvendu Adhikari, in his first cabinet meeting, moved to reorder beneficiaries of welfare schemes. While saying that schemes from the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government would continue, the government said that those excluded during the SIR will be left out.On May 19, the West Bengal government issued a notification for the Annapurna Yojana scheme, which has replaced the former TMC government’s flagship scheme for cash transfer to women known as Lakshmir Bhandar. The notification stated that while women would receive Rs 3,000 instead of the earlier Rs 1,500 through direct benefit transfer, those who have been struck off the rolls in the SIR exercise, will not remain beneficiaries, while those who have applied under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and are awaiting tribunal adjudication of their deletions from the voter rolls will be eligible.