'3rd Wave Will Also Be Over': SC Slams Govt Over Delay in COVID Ex Gratia Norms

The court rapped the Centre for the delay in the framing of guidelines for COVID death certificates & compensation.

The Supreme Court on Friday, 3 September, berated the Centre for lagging behind on the framing of guidelines for deaths certificates and compensation to be provided to the kin of those who died of COVID-19.

(Image: The Quint/Erum Gour)

The Supreme Court on Friday, 3 September, berated the Centre for lagging behind the framing of guidelines for death certificates and compensation to be provided to the kin of those who died of COVID-19.

"The order on death certificates, (compensation for) death, etc was passed long back. By the time you take further steps, third wave will also be over," the court was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The bench, comprising Justices MR Shah and Aniruddha Bose, granted an extension of 10 days to the government for the formulation of the guidelines. The court also ordered the Centre to submit a compliance report on the matter by 11 September, news agency ANI reported.

The apex court on 30 June had directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to lay down guidelines for minimum standard of relief, including payment of ex gratia assistance to family members of persons who succumbed to COVID-19.

"There is nothing on record to show the guidelines for the minimum standard of relief, since Section 12 is mandatory, national authority has to prescribe guidelines, which include ex gratia. By not prescribing guidelines national authority has failed to perform its job under Section 12 of the Act," the judgment had said, as per a LiveLaw report.

The court had permitted six weeks to the government for the formulation of the guidelines. Subsequently, the Centre in July, requested the court for a four-week extension.

(With inputs from NDTV, ANI and LiveLaw)