J-K notifies ex-gratia norms; Rs 1 lakh for civilian deaths, Rs 25 lakh for defence personnel

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has notified consolidated ex-gratia relief norms for law and order disturbance victims, with civilian death compensation fixed at Rs 1 lakh, while the Union territory domicile defence or CAPF personnel killed would get Rs 25 lakh under the security-related expenditure. In an order by the Lieutenant Governor, the administration issued a consolidated set of instructions governing sanctioning of ex-gratia relief under Security Related Expenditure (SRE).

For defence personnel and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the ex-gratia in the eventuality of their death would be Rs 25 lakh, both for the domicile of J-K killed within or outside the UT. However, for non-domicile individuals, the compensation will be Rs 5 lakh.

The order said that ex-gratia relief shall also be payable to the next of kin of those paramilitary forces (PMF) personnel serving in J-K who get killed within the territorial jurisdiction of J-K in militancy-related incidents while on leave or inter-station movement during leave. As part of the compensation, police personnel or a special police officer (SPO) will receive Rs 5 lakh, while ex-servicemen will receive Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia relief.

For cases of permanent disability, Rs 75,000 will be provided, while those with partial disabilities will receive Rs 10,000. “Ex-gratia relief shall be admissible in respect of only those who are killed or are disabled, in or in consequence of due performance of official duties. Ex-gratia relief shall be sanctioned by the Director General of Police in respect of police personnel,” the order said.

Additionally, relief will be available to police personnel who are killed or become completely or partially disabled due to militancy-related incidents while on duly sanctioned leave.

For government officials other than police personnel, the ex-gratia amount will be Rs 1 lakh, while magistrates will receive Rs 2 lakh. Ex-gratia relief shall be admissible in respect of only those who are killed or are disabled in, or in consequence of, due performance of official duties, the order read.

Compensation for civilians killed in law and order disturbances, including those near the international border or the Line of Control, surrendered militants, and militants-turned-informers, is set at Rs 1 lakh, the order added.

However, the order said, ex-gratia relief will only be available to individuals who were not directly or indirectly involved in violence or incitement, and were killed, disabled, or injured innocently.

In the case of compensation for property damage, the amount of relief to be granted for damage as a result of counter-terrorist operations undertaken by the CAPFs/Army shall be subject to an upper ceiling of Rs 10 lakh or actual assessed loss/damage, in each case, whichever is less, duly verified by the District Level Screening Committee.

For damage incurred on the International Border or Line of Control due to shelling or firing from across the border, compensation will be set at 50 per cent of the loss or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is lesser, the order added.