Accept compensation requests without insisting on FIR copy: HC to govt

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has now directed the Delhi government to accept applications for compensation from Delhi riots victims without insisting on a copy of the FIR and asked it to expeditiously process these compensation applications in accordance with its own order from March this year.

The order, issued by a Single-judge bench of Justice Navin Chawla, came on a writ petition that had sought directions to the Delhi government for processing and accepting applications for compensation filed by victims of the North-east Delhi riots in February, in which over 53 people were killed, under the Delhi Government Assistance Scheme.

The petitioners had demanded that the Delhi government release an amount of Rs 25,000 to their bank accounts after accepting and evaluating their claims in the case. Moreover, the plea also sought a direction to the Delhi government for the creation of an online portal where victims could file compensation forms and a team of government officials who could then visit affected areas in North-east

Delhi to guide victims on how to use and claim compensation. The petitioners had asked for the online portal to be set up within a week so that compensation seekers can also be able to track their files. Significantly, the plea put forth that since the Delhi government was delaying compensation payments to victims, it should be directed to pay the victims an interest at 12 per cent calculated from the day the riots began to the date the payment is received by the victims, also adding that Rs 5 lakh should be paid to each of the petitioners for the delay caused in disbursing the compensation. However, dismissing the plea, Justice Chawla directed the Delhi government to ensure that their online portal for filing compensation requests is brought back to function at the earliest.