The Supreme Court on Monday deferred its decision on the petitions seeking orders that ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh be provided to the relatives of COVID-19 victims. For about two hours, a special vacation bench consisting of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah heard Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior counsel S B Upadhyay, and other lawyers.
The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh cannot be paid to the families of those who have died of COVID-19 as the finances of state governments and the Centre are under severe strain.
One of the petitioners, Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, stated that under section 12(iii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, every family whose member perished as a result of a disaster is entitled to ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4,00,000. He had stated that since COVID-19 was deemed a disaster, and according to the ruling of April 8, 2015, every family whose member died as a result of the disaster is entitled to compensation.
The counsel, appearing for another petitioner Reepak Kansal, had argued that a large number of deaths were taking place due to COVID-19 and death certificates need to be issued, as only after that the affected family members can claim compensation under section 12 (iii) of the Act.
