NEW DELHI, SEPT 1: Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition questioning the timing of Centre's two circulars on welfare package to the kin of Kargil martyrs, saying there was no substance in the petition.A petition filed by R K Bhardwaj had sought quashing of government's July 7 circular approving several welfare measures for the martyrs' families and the August 3 corrigendum fixing ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh on the ground that it was "politically motivated" and violated the model code of conduct.Rejecting the petition, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S N Variava and Justice S K Mahajan said "there is no substance in the petition. Whether there is violation of model code of conduct, it is for the Election Commission to decide. The court cannot direct the Commission how to decide the issue of model code."Petitioner's counsel Anis Suhrawardy said the July 7 welfare package proposing a total of Rs 20 lakh relief to the martyrs' families was an "illogical and irrational" hike from Rs 7.50 lakh existing earlier and its timing smacked of political consideration.He said, the August 3 corrigendum to a circular of April 12, fixing ex-gratia lump sum compensation at Rs 10 lakh was issued by the government after announcement of the poll schedule.The caretaker government should have left the issue to the next government as till then martyrs' kin were getting a sum of Rs 7.50 lakh, the petition said.
