Compensation for death of Covid-19 warriors is not bounty, says Bombay HC

Compensation for the death of COVID-19 warriors was not a bounty, and cases seeking ex-gratia cannot be dealt with casually, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court said while dismissing a petition filed by the widow of a handpump helper who died during the pandemic. A division bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and R M Joshi said there was nothing "perverse or erroneous" in the order passed by the Maharashtra government rejecting the woman's application seeking compensation of Rs 50 lakh. A copy of the judgment passed on March 28 was made available on Tuesday. The order was passed on the petition filed by Kanchan Hamshette from Nanded district, who sought ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh from the government as her husband, who she claims was deployed by the government, had died after getting infected with the coronavirus. During the pandemic, the state government introduced a comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to employees who were on active duty relating to survey, ..