Plea against govt’s riot compensation junked by Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea challenging the Delhi government’s compensation announced for the victims of the riots that had broken in north-east

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea challenging the Delhi government’s compensation announced for the victims of the riots that had broken in north-east Delhi last week.

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A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said that it was a policy decision of the government and it would not interfere in the matter.

“The compensation is being awarded on a no-fault basis. There is nothing wrong with it,” the court said, while asking the Delhi government to ensure that compensation is paid only to the victims of the riots.

The order came while hearing a plea by Nand Kishore Garg, who through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, had challenged the compensation offered by the governnment and said that it is “unreasonable” and “an arbitrary announcement for compensation” has been made without identifying the real victims of riots.

The plea had stated that the perpetrator of the riots must be denied the compensation and they must not be treated as victims. It had also sought directions to the Delhi government to lay comprehensive guidelines in this regard.