On Monday, the Delhi High Court issued a directive in a petition to recognize judicial officers who died as a result of COVID-19 as frontline employees in the course of duty (Tanveer Ahmed Mir v. GNCTD).
The petition also requested ex gratia compensation payments of Rs 1 crore and Rs 50 lakh to the spouses of deceased judicial officers and other judicial employees, accordingly.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought responses from both the Delhi government and the High Court’s administration part.The Court gave notification and stated, “We are taking steps on the administrative side,” after brief submissions.
The complainant claims that representatives of the lower judiciary, including court employees and the prosecutor’s office, were undoubtedly, unarguably, and legitimately carrying out their functions on the front lines and promoting the administration of justice for the legal profession and the public in general.
The plaintiff argued that, as it was done previously in the matter of police officers who died whilst carrying out their duties during the COVID-19 epidemic, the government officials are now required to provide ex-gratia compensation to the deceased officers of the subordinate judiciary and court workers.
Even though the subordinate judiciary is eligible for free care in some approved hospitals, a substantial number of judicial authorities, court employees, and their families are currently found it incredibly difficult to afford the outrageously high medical costs associated with COVID-19 medication.
Lawcutor 