The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a petition seeking ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh or notified ex-gratia compensation to the families of deceased, who have succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A divisional bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice M.R. Shah will hear the petition, whereas, on the last hearing the bench had given time to the Central government to file a reply over the matter.
Earlier, Senior Advocate SB Upadhyay appearing for the petitioner had submitted, “We are seeking that giving effect to Section 12, a certificate needs to be issued that death is due to COVID-19… there are cases, where the bodies are being taken from mortuary to cremation ground. There needs to be a certificate.”
“There is a letter of March 14, 2020, which says to give benefit under the NDMA Act, the disaster has to be natural one. COVID was notified as a disaster,” he added.
However, on the later date of hearing Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Central Government and submitted that this issue is being considered by the Central Government and requested the Court not to pass any order in this regard and also prayed that the Centre should be granted some time to file its reply.
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The plea further sought directions to the States to issue death certificates/ any letter to the families of deceased, stating therein the cause of death. The medical officers have not been conducting post mortem of the persons, who are dying due to COVID-19.
Source: ILNS