The Delhi High Court directed the Centre to consider as a representation a PIL seeking to extend the compensation assistance to the family members of Indian citizens who died abroad due to COVID-19.A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of External Affairs, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to decide the representation as expeditiously as possible in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the case and disposed of the petition.
Advocate M P Srivignesh, representing petitioner Pravasi legal Cell, urged the court to direct the authorities to decide pending representation of July 5 on the issue by Pravasi Legal Cell global president Adv. Jose Abraham and global spokesperson Mr.Babu Francis O
The plea sought to direct the Indian missions abroad to collect and maintain proper data of those Indian citizens died abroad due to COVID-19 and to also include the children who have lost both parents or surviving parent or legal guardian/adoptive parents due to the virus abroad but who are Indian Citizens under the "PM-CARES for Children scheme''.The plea submitted that the Indian migrants in destination countries are the worst affected groups due to the pandemic as most of them have either lost their jobs or their salaries have been reduced. The fundamental rights that are guaranteed to all citizens are not extinguished when the person travels or lives abroad, it said.The plea said that in several PILs, the Supreme Court has held that the NDMA has a statutory obligation to frame guidelines for recommending minimum compensation assistance to COVID victims and gave it six weeks to frame the guidelines for fixing the compensation meant for these families. Due to the delay in taking a favorable stance towards the expatriates from the concerned authorities, the Pravasi Legal Cell has approached the Delhi High Court and has now issued a High Court judgment. Therefore, the decision of the Central Government is expected soon, said Pravasi Legal Cell Global President Adv. Jose Abraham and Global spokesperson Mr. Babu Francis in a press release