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The Delhi Government recently informed the High Court that the state had taken a decision to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000 to the kin of those who died of Covid 19.

The submission was made by Standing Counsel of Delhi Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra in response to a plea seeking to operationalise the High Powered Committee to examine the cause behind Covid 19 deaths during the Pandemic.

The  division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh was hearing a plea by a wife who had lost her husband due to Covid 19 and sought operationalization of the death panel.

The petitioner argued before the court that “there was no reasonable justification for stalling the functioning of the high-powered committee as issues like health or grant of ex-gratia monetary relief or other benefits to affected sections of society are matters that fall within the exclusive domain of the Government of Delhi”.

The Court issued notice on the plea after Mehra informed the Court that the Lt Governor had stayed the panel.

Mehra further informed the Court that the government had constituted a committee of medical experts in April to look into cases where there may be negligence and requirement of compensation to be awarded. However later it  was stayed a few days later due to various reasons.

Mehra said however "State as a welfare state has taken a decision to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000 to the kin of those who died of Covid. The government said the amount will be released to the petitioner in case it has not been released already."

Mehra also stated that the a matter on the said issue was pending before the Supreme Court where the Apex Court had made no observation of negligence on the part of the state.

The court has listed the matter for next hearing on August 23.