Swarna Shukla-
Published On: October 04, 2021 at 14:25 IST
A Bench of Justice M.R Shah and Justice A.S Bopanna passed Orders to govern payment of Ex-gratia compensation for COVID-19 deaths.
The Court accepted the submission of the Centre that Rs. 50,000 shall be paid to next kin of deceased. The Order also stated that the State shall not deny the benefit on the ground that cause of Death in Death Certificate is not mentioned as COVID-19.
The Court observed, “If family member satisfies the authority of cause of death as COVID, then no State shall deny benefit of Rs. 50,000 on the ground that cause of death is not Covid in the death certificate.”
The said Order was passed on Plea seeking directions to the Central and State Governments to provide Ex-gratia Compensation to the family members of those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 and Post COVID Complications.
The Payment will have to be made from the State Disaster Relief Fund and it has to be made within 30 days of submitting application and cause of Death being certified as COVID-19.
The Apex Court on June 30, ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to decide on the amount to be provided as Ex-gratia assistance and left it with the NDMA to decide on the amount to be provided.
Here after, the Central Government had filed an Affidavit before the Supreme Court stating that it has recommended compensation of Rs. 50,000 for every person who succumbed to COVID-19.
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