Plea in SC seeks ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for families of people who died due to COVID-19

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the concerned authorities to provide ex gratia monetary compensation of Rs 4 lakh to family members of the deceased who have succumbed to COVID-19 infection, under Section 12 of The Disaster Management Act 2005.

The petition,, filed by lawyer Reepak Kansal, seeks immediate and appropriate directions to the concerned authorities to provide financial help as laid down by the central government in its statute and rules to the family members of the deceased, who have succumbed to COVID-19 infection.

The petition said that it is the right of the family members to know the "real cause of death of their member/relative on any official document," and added that "the medical officers have not been conducting post mortem of the persons who are dying due to COVID-19".

The plea also sought apex court's intervention and appropriate directions to the respondent state governments to issue an official document stating the cause of death of the deceased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Keeping in view the spread of COVID-19 virus in India and the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO), by way of special one-time dispensation, it has been decided to treat it as notified disaster for the purpose of providing assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)."

"The Central government issued revised list and norms of assistance from SDRF and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) through a MHA letter and recommended ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh per deceased person," the plea added.

The petitioner also sought directions to respondent state governments to fulfil their obligation to take care of victims of the calamity and their family members.

( With inputs from ANI )

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