SC dismisses plea seeking ex-gratia for kin of deceased lawyers
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Center and others to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of lawyers who die within 60 years, whether due to COVID-19 or other reasons. Yes, saying that the life of lawyers cannot be said. Be “more precious” than others.
Observing that this cannot encourage filing of “fake” Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by lawyers, a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud observed that the petition is a “publicity interest litigation” and does not have a single relevant ground. has been raised.
The bench, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and BV Nagarathna, observed that many people have died due to COVID-19 in the country and a judgment has already been passed by the apex court, which It is related to framing of guidelines for distribution of compensation to the next of kin of those people. Has died due to coronavirus.
The bench told advocate Pradeep Kumar Yadav, who filed the petition, “Are other people in the society not important.” “It is a publicity interest litigation and just because you are in black coat does not mean that your life is more precious than others,” the bench said, adding, “we do not encourage lawyers to file fake PILs”. should do.”
The top court said that in the petition being “cut-copy-pasted”, it would not be the case that lawyers would file such a PIL seeking compensation and the court would allow it.
It said that many people have died from COVID-19 and lawyers cannot be an exception. Yadav requested the bench to withdraw the petition and file it with better grounds.
However, the bench dismissed the petition with a cost of Rs 10,000 payable to the Supreme Court Bar Association within a week.
Yadav had made the Centre, Bar Council of India and several other bar bodies as respondents in his petition.
The petition sought a direction to the respondents to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to the next of kin of the advocate, who has died within 60 years, whether due to COVID-19 or any other mode, And in cases of pandemic, provide additional monetary support. Them.
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