A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar set up a three-member committee comprising two judges of the high court and principal secretary of the state's women and child welfare department to hear stakeholders and come up with a model and comprehensive policy.
The court was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the modifications made to the Manodhairya scheme in August this year.
One of the petitioners has argued that in the modified scheme, 75 per cent of the monetary compensation awarded to the victim has to be kept in a fixed deposit for a period of 10 years and the remaining 25 per cent will be given to the victim.
In case the victim is a minor then the modified scheme states that the amount will be kept in a fixed deposit for 20 years. The maximum interim compensation cannot be more than Rs 25,000.
Also Read
The committee shall meet and hear all stakeholders like NGOs, who are aware of the practical and factualsituation in such cases.
"It would be proper if once and for all a model and comprehensive scheme is formulated. The committee shall submit this scheme before us," the court said.
Another aspect of the modified scheme, which is under challenge, is that the amount paid to the kin of a victim who dies of sexual assault or rape is only Rs 1 lakh, while for a victim who suffers grievous injury or mental trauma or is gangraped, it is Rs 10 lakh.
The new scheme also makes the victim's Aadhar number mandatory for grant of compensation and disbursal of funds.
"Many of the victims are from poor and economically marginalised sections of the society who may not have Aadhar numbers. Importantly, the issue regarding making Aadhar mandatory for the beneficial schemes is pending before the Supreme Court of India," stated one of the petitions.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content