Delhi Riots: High Court Seeks Status Report On Disbursal Of Compensation To Victims

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a status report from the office of North-East Delhi Riots Claims Commission (NEDRCC), set up by the Delhi government in April 2020, regarding the details of the claims received by it from the victims and the amounts disbursed to them, if any.

Justice Prathiba M Singh also directed the Secretary of the Claims Commission to place on record the procedure followed by it in processing the applications for claims and award of compensation.

“Let a status report be placed on record within four weeks,” the court said.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by victims of the riots seeking compensation in accordance with Delhi Government's “Assistance Scheme for the Help of Riot Victims.” Some of the petitioners seek enhanced compensation.

The assistance scheme was introduced by the Delhi Government to compensate and assist the victims of the riots. It provides for compensation for the death of a major or a minor, permanent incapacitation, serious or minor injuries and loss of property.

The counsels appearing for the petitioners submitted that the office of the Claims Commission has conducted surveys in some of the cases and the amounts awarded are much below as fixed under Delhi government’s scheme.

Appearing for one of the petitioners, Advocate Karuna Nundy submitted that the petitioner is seeking enhanced compensation and is aggrieved about the grant of ex gratia compensation of total Rs. 5 lakhs for the two children who died during the riots.

She submitted that the compensation awarded is much lesser and an additional grant of Rs. 5 lakhs needs to be provided.

On the other hand, Delhi government’s standing counsel Samir Vashisht submitted that the Claims Commission has been assessing the claims and that a status report can be called for complete details regarding progress of the applications so far.

Considering that the petitioners are persons with various financial constraints, Justice Singh observed that the Claims Commission ought to proceed expeditiously in the matters.

The court observed that before proceeding to hear the petitions, it would be appropriate to call for the status report to ascertain what the Claims Commission has been doing with the applications received by the victims.

“I want to see what the commission is doing and then proceed to hear the matter,” the court said while listing the matter on April 28.