The Supreme Court on Monday declined a plea seeking formulation of a national policy for providing uniform compensation to families of those who died of COVID-19.
A Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan dismissed the plea saying every State has a policy and gives compensation as per its financial power.
National policy
Advocate Deepak Prakash, appearing for petitioner Hashik Thayikandy, said all he is asking for is a national policy.
So many people have died due to the virus and the victims are not getting equal compensation, Mr. Prakash said.
He said in some cases, the Delhi government has given ₹1 crore as compensation while some States are giving ₹1 lakh.
The Bench said it is dismissing the plea, after which the counsel sought to withdraw it.
Essential workers
The petitioner had also sought a direction to the Centre and the State governments to formulate an appropriate “compensation plan” to provide ex gratia to the kin of essential workers and healthcare workers who have succumbed to the pandemic.
“The said citizens are also tax payers. In such a structure, whereby the death rate is only increasing at an alarming rate per day, it is imperative for the State to formulate appropriate guidelines, on compassionate grounds, for compensation to families of the COVID-19 casualties,” the plea had said.
