Can’t deprive families of Covid-19 victims ex gratia in offline mode, says Bombay HC

The High Court questioned the logic of making a technology-based process for claiming compensation. It suggested that the government allow families of Covid-19 victims to submit documents physically or by post.

The Bombay High Court has pulled up the Maharashtra government for depriving the families of the Covid-19 victims from claiming ex gratia offline. The high court questioned the logic for making a technology-based process for claiming compensation. It suggested the government to allow the families of Covid-19 victims to submit documents physically or by post.

The high court bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik said this while hearing a plea filed by non-government organisation, Prameya Welfare Foundation, on Monday. The petitioner represented 56 applicants seeking compensation of Rs 50,000 as they were unable to apply through the web portal set up specifically for processing such claims.

The petitioners informed the bench about the Supreme Court decision that stated the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) formulated guidelines for Maharashtra to disburse the compensation to dependents of Covid-19 victims through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

After hearing the arguments, Chief Justice Datta told the government authorities that the Supreme Court order meant the administration must reach out to the families of those who died of Covid-19.

“Keep this in mind. Why should you be so technical,” CJ Datta asked.

Justice Karnik said, “The web portal is for your [state's] convenience. Getting compensation is their [citizen's] right. They cannot be deprived of it just because they filled the form physically.”

The plea stated that claim forms were distributed in several chawls and slum areas, following which 56 people from economically weaker section filed claims in the collector’s office much before the Maharashtra government had initiated the online portal for claims and payments.