The Supreme Court Monday granted the Centre's application for four more weeks to frame guidelines regarding compensation to kin of those who died due to Covid-19. The earlier deadline set by the Court was August 15.

The relief was granted by a Bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah, while directing the Centre to file an affidavit on the steps taken by it on other issues as directed by the Court in a June 30 order. These included framing of guidelines on death certificates, mentioning the exact cause of death, and steps taken on the recommendations of the XVth Finance Commission regarding social security and welfare measures in the wake of Covid 19.

Seeking more time for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to frame the Covid compensation guidelines, the Centre said the matter required in-depth examination. Promising that the exercise was at an "active and advance stage", the Centre said that an "accelerated formulation" would result in "undesired results".

On June 30, observing that the NDMA had “failed to perform its duty”, the Supreme Court had directed it to recommend guidelines within six weeks for ex gratia to family members of those who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)