Allahabad High Court flags delays in granting compensation to sexual assault victims

The Allahabad High Court recently expressed displeasure over delays in the grant of compensation to sexual assault survivors in Uttar Pradesh under victim compensation schemes. .A Bench of Justices Vivek Kumar Birla and Syed Qamar Hasan Rizvi also directed the District Legal Service Authorities (DLSA) in Uttar Pradesh to ensure the prompt disposal of pending applications by sexual assault survivors for compensation.The Court passed the order after taking critical note that a report from the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority indicated significant delays in the grant of compensation to victims who approached DLSAs."This does not reflect happy situation as out of 1129 applications, approximately 968 applications are delayed in disposal, which reflects that the District Legal Service Authorities are not functioning properly, therefore, expeditious disposal of such applications is required," the Court said in its May 2 order..The Court was hearing a plea seeking directions for the payment of rehabilitation and compensation of ₹2 lakhs to a victim in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).On May 2, the Court took critical note that the compensation payable to this victim was only granted after the High Court's intervention. "We express our serious displeasure on the functioning of the Legal Service Authorities as paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the report reflects that action has been taken on the application of the petitioner after the above quoted order was passed by this Court," the Bench said. .Notably, during an earlier hearing of the matter, the High Court had also directed the Uttar Pradesh State Legal Services Authority to provide a report regarding the implementation status of the Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/ Survivors of Sexual Assault and Other Crimes, 2018.After reviewing the report submitted by the State authority, the Court opined that there is a need to sensitise DLSAs on the duty to ensure that compensation claims by sexual assault victims are processed without delay. The Court has directed the DLSAs to treat such matters seriously."It is expected from all the District Legal Service Authority to take the matter seriously and they shall make all efforts to dispose of the pending applications expeditiously," the Court ordered. The Court further called for another report from the State Legal Services Authority after getting fresh inputs from the DLSAs. The matter was then listed for May 15. .Advocate Shailesh Kumar Shukla appeared for the petitioner..[Read Order]