Delhi LG V K Saxena has approved an amendment to the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme 2018, allowing ex-gratia payment to victims of mob violence and lynching, according to officials from Raj Niwas on Friday.
They noted that the Supreme Court had directed state governments in 2018 to formulate such a scheme within a month, but the Delhi government took five years to submit a proposal.
Under the changes in the scheme, the definition of ‘victim’ has been revised to include the guardian or legal heir of a person who has suffered loss, injury, or death due to mob violence and lynching. Interim relief is proposed to be paid to the victim(s) or the next of kin of the deceased within 30 days of the incident.
The apex court, on July 17, 2018, mandated that state governments create a compensation scheme for lynching/mob violence within one month, as per the provisions of Section 357A of the CrPC. The guidelines specified that in computing compensation, state governments should consider the nature of bodily injury, psychological injury, loss of earnings, and also take into account the loss of opportunities for employment and education. The scheme should address expenses incurred on legal, medical, and other sufferings resulting from mob lynching/mob violence.
The Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, 2018, was notified with the approval of the then LG in a notification dated June 27, 2019. However, it did not cover compensation for lynching and mob violence, as per the official statement.
