J&K HC Closes PIL On Aid For Loc Firing, Mine Blast Victims

Srinagar- The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has closed a Public Interest Litigation regarding a central scheme for assistance to civilian victims, family of victims of terrorist and cross border firing and mine blasts on Indian Territory.

A Division bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal while disposing of the PIL, filed by Uri Foundation Lagama Uri, observed that the matter was pending since 2021 and that the authorities have furnished affidavits showing compliance of orders passed from time to time.

On September 2, the Court had directed authorities to furnish a specific affidavit as regards the victims whose concerns and grievances are yet to be addressed or have not been paid compensation despite being eligible. While such affidavit was submitted, Mohsin Qadiri, Sr. AAG, submitted that in compliance to the order dated October 23 last year, process for consideration of assistance to 71 civilian victims mentioned in the petition was under consideration in terms of Revised Guidelines of Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian Victims/ Family of Victims Terrorist/ Communal/ Leftwing Extremism (LWE) Violence, Cross Border Firing and Mine/ IED blasts on Indian Territory.

Further, he submitted that 61 cases out of those 71 have been forwarded to Chief Medical Officer, Baramulla, to be placed before the Medical Board to ascertain the percentage of disability of each of those individuals. And a direction has been issued to promptly submit a report so that the same can be forwarded to the Home Department, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, for according relaxation by the Central Government in terms of Clause 4(xii) of the Revised Guidelines, for those cases are time barred, the Sr. AAG said.

Further, he submitted that 10 victims have since passed away but even their cases are being examined and shall be forwarded, in due course, to the Home Department for consideration in terms of Clause 4(xii) of the Revised Guidelines. He submitted that 32 victims whose names were mentioned in the petition were found ineligible since they died or suffered injuries owing to firing practice which apparently is not covered under the Revised Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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