The Delhi High Court has directed the MEA to publish on its website and widely disseminate the standard operating procedure followed for the return of the bodies of deceased Indians
Release date – Friday, July 23 at 09:10 PM
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) to publish on its website and widely disseminate the standard operating procedures (SOPs) followed for repatriating the bodies of Indians who died abroad.
A bench of Judges Najmi Waziri and Sudhir Kumar Jain is hearing a complaint about the death of an Indian man in the Maldives. The court said the guidelines should be easily accessible to the public.
While the judge urged airlines operating in India to consider hosting standard operating procedures on their websites for the benefit of Indians traveling overseas, it also said information on welfare funds set up for repatriation purposes should be readily available.
The Court stated that: …the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) established by Indian Missions/Residents abroad and the Guidelines for the Indian Community Welfare Fund should be made available in the public domain and widely disseminated. Accordingly, the MEA shall prominently post and make available the above SOPs and guidance on its website (if not already provided) within one week of receipt of a copy of this Order.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the center told the court that standard operating procedures were in place for transporting the remains of Indian tourists and workers.
The court noted that in the case of Indian tourists, the Indian mission usually coordinates with the family of the deceased. In the case of workers, coordination is established between the deceased’s nominated family members, insurance companies and employers, while the Indian delegation closely monitors the process.
In exceptional cases where resources are limited, the Mission and the MEA make appropriate arrangements, usually using the Indian Community Welfare Fund established by the respective mission.
