Compensation to people committing suicide a wrong precedent:HC

The Delhi High Court today said the AAP government's decision to award compensation to the family members of two men who allegedly committed suicide at some public events here, will set a wrong precedent.
Advising the Delhi government to withdraw such decisions to accord 'martyr' status to individuals, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said "the money is of taxpayers".
"Your order will set a wrong precedent for others. It can be cited as an example for others who do the same thing. Why don't you withdraw it," the bench said, adding "we are here to look after the rights of the citizens."

Delhi government's Additional Standing Counsel Sanjoy Ghose, however, told the court that till date they have not paid any compensation amount to any of the family members of the deceased.
He also sought time to file replies to the PILs filed by advocate Avadh Kaushik and ex-serviceman Puran Chand Arya.
The court listed the matter for August 8 and directed the Delhi government to file its response within ten days.

The court's oral observation came during the hearing of PILs against the AAP government's decision to accord martyr status to Ram Kishan Grewal who had allegedly committed suicide during a protest at Jantar Mantar over the 'One Rank, One Pension'(OROP) issue on November 1 last year.

Another PIL has opposed the city government's decision to declare as 'martyr' a Rajasthan-based-politician-cum-farmer Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat who allegedly hung himself at an AAP rally at Jantar Mantar on April 22, 2015. The incident took place during an anti-land bill rally called by the Aam Aadmi Party.
In all these matters, the petitioners have taken the ground that these individuals have committed suicide, attempting which is a crime under the Indian Penal Code.
In the petition related to Grewal's suicide, the PIL has contended that by granting compensation and a job to the kin of the ex-serviceman, Kejriwal and his government were "glorifying, justifying, supporting, propagating and consecrating the act of suicide".

It has sought directions from the court to quash or set aside the Delhi government's decision saying it amounted to "misappropriation of public funds".
The PIL also seeks a direction to the Centre, Lieutenant Governor and Delhi government to "frame a proper and valid scheme or policy for declaring a deceased person as a 'martyr' and to award the compensatory benefits and perquisite to his family".