Delhi High Court Seeks Govt Response On Plea Against Differential Compensation For Major & Minor Riots Victims

The court also issued notice to the Sub-Divisional Magistrates of Seelampur and Yamuna Vihar, on the petition filed by one Ram Sugarat, parent to a minor victim, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and others. The petition challenges the Riot Victims Assistance Scheme for awarding a maximum compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs for families of minor deceased victims and Rs. 10 lakhs for adult deceased victims.

The court will next hear the matter on Apr 26.

It is stated that the petitioner is parent to one of the "youngest victims" of the North-East Delhi riots of 2020. The differential compensation is alleged to be arbitrary, unreasonable and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, and failing to recognize the value of death of young blood, as the minor victims the petition fights for, had "aspirations for bright futures" and contributed to the family's monthly income.

It was argued that, "The length of the teenage-boys adult working lives, and cumulative incomes accrued as earning adults, would have been equal to (indeed more than) a deceased major's. Indeed the Petitioners have also lost sons to lean on in their old age." The petitioners have thus sought a minimum additional amount of Rs. 5 lakh as compensation, besides the stipulated Rs. 5 lakh.

The petitioner was filed by Advocates Ragini Nagpal, Abhay Chitravanshi, Utsav Mukherjee and represented by Advocate Karuna Nandy