Public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court on Friday i.e., 7th May 2021 seeking the amount of Rs. 1 Crore and Rs 50 lakhs as ex-gratia payment to the family of each judicial member who was passed away due to COVID-19 virus. The plea also seeks order to collate the details of the staff of the High Court and of the Subordinate courts who succumbed to COVID-19 while performing their duties and to categorize them as a “frontline warrior”.
The plea was moved by Advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir who stated that the respondents in the matter have provided the compensatory amount to the family of the public employees and officers who has lost their lives while performing their duties at the frontline but no such measures have been taken for legal professionals, judges and court staffs as the authorities have shown “little empathy towards such officers and their kith and kin”.
Further, it was also submitted that such inaction from the side of respondents should be considered as a gross violation of the rights of the affected members under Articles 14, 19 & 21 of the Indian Constitution. The petitioner mentioned that immediate directions should be passed by the Hon’ble High Court which guarantees medical reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at whatever hospitals, private, semi-private are used for medical treatment.
The concerned case is listed for hearing before a division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh on 10th May 2021.
