Kerala High Court asks the State to release pending victim compensation claims preferably within five weeks

25 October 2026

Hearing the suo motu proceedings in Suo Motu v. State of Kerala (WP(C) 42844/2025 and a connected case), a Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. of the Kerala High Court directed the State to release Rs 9,73,85,000 of pending victim compensation claims in 225 cases, preferably within five weeks. The claims had been pending before the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department. The direction came in proceedings in which the Court is also monitoring the working of mediation centres attached to courts in the State. Victim compensation in India is paid under the Victim Compensation Scheme that every State is required to prepare, and claims are recommended by the District Legal Services Authority or the State Legal Services Authority before the funds are released by the government.