Covid deaths– SC raps Rajasthan over ex-gratia compensation, says it was not doing charity

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rapped the Rajasthan government over its "unsatisfactory" affidavit enumerating steps on payment of ex-gratia to family members of those who died of COVID-19, and said it was not doing any charity.

A bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari directed the state government to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.

"Earlier also you had made an assurance. State of Rajasthan is not doing any charity. There is a direction issued by this court and persons affected by COVID-19 should be treated with sympathy.

"Affidavit filed by the Rajasthan government is not satisfactory at all. The counsel prays for time to put a detailed affidavit. Put up on Friday," the bench said.

The counsel for the Rajasthan government informed the court that the state is taking all the requisite steps.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal alleging Rajasthan is not adhering to the 2021 order directing states to pay ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to the families of those who succumbed to the pandemic.

Bansal also sought directions to call for status reports from the State Legal Services Authorities with respect to enforcement of its orders.

The apex court had earlier expressed concern over fake claims being made for securing ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 meant for the families of those who died due to Covid, saying it had never visualised that the relief can be "misused".

It had said on October 4 last year that no state shall deny ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of those who died after being infected with Covid solely on the grounds that the death certificate does not mention the virus as the cause of the death.