Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has closed a four-year-old Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Uri Foundation on the issue of compensation for civilian victims of cross-border firing and terrorism. The court ordered authorities to complete the relief process within two months.
The bench stated that after years of delay, compensation should be determined within a stipulated time. The petition, filed in 2021, challenged the delay in the implementation of a central scheme to provide assistance to civilian victims of terrorist, communal, and left-wing extremist violence and cross-border firing incidents.
Over the past few years, the High Court issued several directives to the central and union territory governments to submit compliance affidavits, but the matter remained pending as victims awaited relief. Earlier this month, the bench specifically sought detailed affidavits regarding those who are still excluded from the scheme or denied payment despite being eligible. No such affidavit was filed until Tuesday’s hearing (September 16).
Senior Additional Advocate General Mohsin Qadri, appearing for the government, acknowledged that 71 cases listed in the petition were under process. He informed the bench that 61 victims had been referred to the Chief Medical Officer of Baramulla so that a medical board could determine the disability percentage, which is necessary for final compensation. Qadiri stated that a report has been directed to be submitted immediately to be sent to the Home Department… so that the central government can grant exemptions.
He also stated that 10 of the victims have died, but their cases are also being investigated and will be forwarded to the Home Department in due course. However, 32 other cases were found ineligible because they arose from firing practice accidents, which do not fall under the Home Ministry’s guidelines.
Naveed Bukhtiyar and Abrar Khan, lawyers for the Uri Foundation, stated that the petition had largely served its purpose and urged the court to set a deadline. The lawyers argued that a considerable amount of time had already passed. They stressed that the families of the victims should not be made to wait indefinitely.
In response, Qadiri assured the bench that the matter was under active consideration by the relevant authorities and that the necessary orders would be passed or issued within two months from today. He further stated that an affidavit would be filed within three days. will be.
Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajesh Oswal accepted the submissions and disposed of the case, stating, “The petition is disposed of on the basis of the submissions made by the learned counsel for the parties. However, as stated above, the learned senior counsel for the respondents will ensure that the necessary affidavits are filed within the stipulated time.”
The Uri Foundation, a local non-profit organization in the border town, had approached the court after repeatedly receiving complaints that victims of cross-border shelling and terrorist attacks were not receiving the benefits guaranteed under the 2019 scheme.
