The State Government on Wednesday informed the Kerala High Court that it had sought a clarification from the Centre whether the legal heirs of non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) who died abroad due to COVID-19 are eligible for ex-gratia relief of ₹50,000.
The submission was made by State Government counsel when a writ petition filed by the Pravasi Legal Cell, seeking a directive to the State Government to provide the ex-gratia relief to the families of non-resident Keralites who died of COVID came up for hearing.
The counsel further submitted that the Government had written to the Centre seeking clarification in this regard and a response was awaited.
The petitioner pointed out that the rejection of the applications filed by some of the family members of the non-resident Keralites who died abroad due to COVID-19 was arbitrary. The Government had refused to sanction the relief saying that the relief scheme was applicable only to the relatives of those who died of in the country.
The compensation could not be denied to people who went abroad solely for earning a living and support their family members. In fact, the Government decision to deny compensation to the family members of non-residents who died in other countries was discriminatory and a violation of their fundamental rights, the petitioner argued.
