The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Union government to consider as representation a petition to extend ex gratia assistance to the family members of Indian citizens who had died abroad due to COVID-19.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh asked the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to decide on the representation in accordance with the law.
The Pravasi Legal Cell, in its petition, sought direction to the Indian missions abroad to collect and maintain proper data of Indian citizens who had died outside the country due to COVID-19. The petition also sought direction to include the children who had lost both parents or a surviving parent or legal guardian/adoptive parents due to the virus abroad but who were Indian citizens under the PM CARES for Children scheme.
The petition said Indian migrants in other countries were the worst affected due to the pandemic as most of them had either lost their jobs or their salaries had been reduced.
The fundamental rights that were guaranteed to all citizens were not extinguished when a person travelled or lived abroad, the plea said.
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