The Bombay High Court has delivered a significant verdict, directing the Maharashtra state government to provide a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the grieving family of a frontline worker from Kolhapur who succumbed to Covid-19. The court firmly stated that a bureaucratic cutoff date should not become an insurmountable barrier in a welfare scheme meant to honour pandemic heroes.
Court Rejects State's Technical Ground for Denial
The case revolved around the tragic death of Yashwant Khandu Jadhav, an extension officer with the Karveer Panchayat Samiti in Kolhapur. Jadhav, who had served dutifully during the first wave of the pandemic, contracted the virus on June 16, 2021, amid the devastating second wave. He was hospitalised immediately and fought for his life until he passed away on July 11, 2021.
Following his death, his wife, son, and mother applied for the compensation announced for frontline workers. However, the state authorities rejected their claim. The rejection was based on a Government Resolution issued on April 25, 2022, which set June 30, 2021, as the cutoff date for such claims. The state argued that since Jadhav died after this date, his family was not eligible for the Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia payment.
Bench Highlights the Spirit of the Welfare Scheme
A bench comprising Justices M S Karnik and Ajit B Kadethankar heard the writ petition filed by Jadhav's legal heirs. The court strongly disagreed with the state's narrow interpretation. The judges noted that there was no dispute that Jadhav was a bona fide frontline worker who contracted the virus in the line of duty.
The bench observed a crucial fact: Jadhav was already hospitalised and his health had deteriorated severely before the June 30 cutoff date. His death on July 11 was a direct and inevitable consequence of the same illness. Treating the cutoff date as "sacrosanct" in such circumstances would be unjust, the court held.
Honouring the Ultimate Sacrifice
In a poignant observation, the High Court underscored the purpose of the compensation scheme. "Many of these bravehearts made the ultimate sacrifice; their own lives fell victim in their courageous efforts to save others," the bench remarked. The court ruled that the scheme was welfare-oriented, designed to honour the sacrifice of those who faced exceptional risks during the pandemic.
Denying relief to Jadhav's family, the court stated, would amount to a grave injustice and defeat the very objective of the government's initiative. The bench allowed the petition and directed the state authorities to grant the compensation benefit within four weeks.
Verdict Sets a Compassionate Precedent
This judgment is a powerful reminder that the implementation of welfare measures must be guided by their spirit and intent, not just by rigid technicalities. By ordering the compensation, the Bombay High Court has provided much-needed relief to a bereaved family and reinforced the principle that the state has a duty to care for those who served on the front lines of the national health crisis.
The ruling is expected to have implications for other similar cases where families of frontline workers may have been denied benefits due to technical cutoff dates, ensuring a more humane application of government schemes.
