Compensation policy matter, says Delhi Government. ANI

New Delhi, November 7The Aam Aadmi Party’s government defended its announcement of Rs 1 crore compensation and a job to the family of an ex-armyman who had recently committed suicide over the controversy surrounding ‘One Rank, One Pension’ in the Delhi High Court on Monday.Insisting it was a subject of “policy”, the Delhi Government said it would soon send it to the Lieutenant Governor for his approval, as it defended itself against two separate petitions before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal.”No public interest is involved in this. These petitions are premature. The decision has to go to the LG. If any decision is taken by the council of ministers, it has to go to the LG for his approval,” senior standing counsel of Delhi Government Rahul Mehra told the Bench.He also said the decision was “a policy matter under consideration. It is under the domain of government policy”.The Bench also wondered if there was “any public interest” involved in the petitions.”This is a policy matter. What public interest is involved in this and why the court should interfere in this,” the Bench asked the petitioner, Puran Chand Arya.Arya said the compensation would be out of taxpayers’ money and that such an award would also “promote suicide”, a contention the second petitioner also agreed to.The Bench said it would hear the case on November 14.Retired Army Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal killed himself on November 1. — PTI