Delhi High Court grants monthly compensation of Rs 15,000 to abandoned minors who lost their mother

The Delhi High Court on Thursday awarded compensation of Rs 15,000 per month to a pair of two-year-old twins who lost their mother due to postpartum complications [Master Lavish & Ors v. Government of NCT Delhi & Ors].

Justice JR Midha passed the order in a writ petition filed on behalf of the twins through their maternal grandfather, Attar Singh. The Delhi High Court ordered,

"The Court awards pension to two minor petitioners being looked after by their maternal grandfather. The District Legal Services Authority, Karnal will also take strict action.

Moreover, 15,000 Rupees per month is sufficient to take care of needs of children. Attar Singh, the maternal grandfather of the children can withdraw up to 15,000 Rupees a month, from the pension reserved for the minor children. The remaining amount is to remain in the petitioner's bank account."

The matter will be heard next on August 18, 2021.

By way of background, in 2017, the deceased mother of the children was working as a nurse in a government hospital in Delhi where she met Sanjay Kumar, whom she was to marry.

Shortly thereafter, the two of them tied the knot and she gave birth to the two twins. However, within a few days of giving birth, she developed postpartum complications and breathed her last.

Following this, the father of the twins shirked all responsibility of looking after them and left them in the care of their maternal grandfather. He also tried to avail all the service benefits, movable and immovable properties of his deceased wife, claiming to be her only legal heir.

The children's grandfather had filed a complaint with the Child Welfare Committee Tribunal in Karnal, to no avail. He was thus prompted to approach the Delhi High Court for relief.

Senior Advocate SK Ahluwalia and Advocate Chander Mani Grover appeared for the petitioners. Additional Standing Counsel Avnish Ahlawat appeared for the Government of NCT, Delhi.