SHILLONG: The state government has released over Rs 51 lakh to Meghalaya State Legal Service Authority (MSLSA) to provide compensation to persons under the victim compensation scheme.
The compensation is mostly claimed by victims of rape.
The division bench comprising Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice HS Thangkhiew took up the matter after the issue was raised by the child rights commission Meena Kharkongor since a minor rape victim urgently required the compensation.
Earlier, a letter was addressed by the chairperson, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), to Registrar General of the court informing that despite the award of interim compensation of Rs 2 lakh by the Special Court (POCSO) on September 5, the state government had not released the payment to the family of the child.
The letter was then registered as Public Interest Litigation and was taken up on September 12. Later, the case was adjourned to September 13 and during the hearing, the Advocate General Amit Kumar had produced a cheque for Rs 2 lakh drawn in favour of SCPCR, for payment of compensation to the victim child.
On Thursday, it was informed by the Member Secretary, MSLSA that Rs 51,14,506 has been paid by the state government to enable MSLSA to release compensation to different persons entitled under the victim compensation scheme. Following this, the petition was disposed of.
