CJI extends condolence to family members of SC lawyers who died of COVID-19

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana extended condolences to the family members of 77 lawyers of the top court who lost their lives to COVID-19 and observed a two-minute silence before starting court on Monday.

"We are informed by the Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) that 77 members of the SCBA have lost their lives to COVID-19. I, on behalf of myself and my sister and brother Judges, express our deepest condolences. We observe two-minute silence before starting the court," CJI Bench said.

On June 26, a petition was filed by the lawyer Pradeep Kumar Yadav, before the Supreme Court seeking its direction to the respondents including the Union of India (UOI) and others to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to the kith and kin of advocates, who had died before the age of 60 whether by COVID-19 or any other disease.

So far, India has seen a total of 3,96,730 COVID-related fatalities.

( With inputs from ANI )