Send migrants home within 15 days, withdraw all cases against them: Supreme Court order

New Delhi : Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered states to identify migrants and send them back to their home towns within a deadline of 15 days. It also directed the states to withdraw all the cases which has been posted on them for alleged violation of lockdown guidelines.

In its Tuesday order, the top court mentioned that states and union territories must prepare a list of migrants who have reached their home states and mention the work they were engaged in prior to the lockdown.

States and Union Territories were directed by the Supreme Court in order to identify their skills according to which they can be provided with employment opportunity.

A three-judge bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah issued the directions days after the apex court asked Centre and State governments to ensure free travel of migrants in buses and trains, ensuring ample amount of food and water to them.

The top court, which had taken up the issue on its own, said the Railways must provide additional special trains within 24 hours of states making the demand for sending the migrant workers back to their home states.

The top court today directed all states to submit affidavits on schemes for migrants and their job creation by July 8 when it will take up the issue next.

The Indian Railways had started Shramik Special trains on May 1 to send migrant workers back to their home towns.