Kochi | The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to release within five weeks the victim compensation amounts, totalling more than Rs 9.73 crore in 225 cases, pending before it since September 16.
A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M also directed the state government to release the honorarium of mediators at the revised rates for now and to reconsider the amounts according to the proposal given by the Board of Governors in 2022.
The bench ordered reconsideration of the mediators' rates after the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) told the court that the revised amounts are less than what were recommended by the Board of Governors.
The court also said, "The Member Secretary, KeLSA shall henceforth ensure that victim compensation is disbursed on time. Appropriate directions shall be issued to the secretaries of the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) concerned to ensure that there is no delay in processing and disbursing victim compensation in future".
"The Secretaries of the DLSAs are directed to collect all requisite documents from the victims at the time of adjudication itself, to obviate any further delay in processing and disbursing victim compensation," the bench said.
The court also issued directions on the lack of proper infrastructure in the mediation centres across the state.
The bench directed the Member Secretary, KeLSA, to review the status of disbursement with the respective DLSAs every week and file a report on December 2, the next date of hearing.
"It is reported that claims for victim compensation amounting to Rs 9.73 crore in 225 cases arising up to July 2026 have been pending before the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, since September 16, 2026. The state government is directed to release the aforesaid amount, preferably within five weeks from date," the bench added.
On the issue of the mediators' honorarium, the court directed the Member Secretary, KeLSA, to submit a statement to the Secretary, Finance Department, specifying the differential amount payable towards the honorarium of mediators following the revised rates of September 30.
"The Finance Department shall release the said differential amount at the earliest. The Member Secretary, KeLSA, shall also file an affidavit reporting the disbursement of honorarium to the mediators and victim compensation," the court said
The Secretaries of the DLSAs were directed to furnish all necessary information to the Member Secretary, KeLSA, to enable him to file the affidavit in compliance with the court order.