Order of the Madras High Court regarding provision of relief measures to the kith and kin of persons who have succumbed to Covid-19, 08/06/2021

Order of the Madras High Court in the matter of R. Boomiraj Vs The Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu & Others dated 08/06/2021.

The matter related to award of compensation of adequate and necessary amount and for granting and providing other relief measures to the kith and kin of persons who have succumbed to Covid-19.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said that the matter raised is pure policy that the executive has to decide on and the court cannot interfere in it.

"It is a matter of policy as to whether a State decides to extend relief or to what extent, to persons affected by any calamity or disaster. The Court cannot issue a mandamus directing all Covid victims to be compensated, irrespective of the financial position that the families may be in. It is a pure executive action that has to be taken on the basis of the policy of the government of the day and the data that it gathers in such regard," the Madras High Court in its order, June 8, 2021 said.