The Kerala High Court directed the state government to clear compensation pending in 225 cases within five weeks. The order also seeks timely future payments, revised mediator honorarium and better mediation infrastructure.
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Kochi,Oct 18, 2026 16:12 IST
The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to release more than Rs 9.73 crore in victim compensation pending in 225 cases, preferably within five weeks, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M also directed the government to release mediators' honorarium at the revised rates for now and reconsider the amounts based on a proposal submitted by the Board of Governors in 2022.
The direction came after the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) told the court that the revised honorarium was lower than the amount recommended by the Board of Governors.
The court said, "The Member Secretary, KeLSA shall henceforth ensure that victim compensation is disbursed on time. Appropriate directions shall be issued to the secretaries of the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) concerned to ensure that there is no delay in processing and disbursing victim compensation in future."
"The Secretaries of the DLSAs are directed to collect all requisite documents from the victims at the time of adjudication itself, to obviate any further delay in processing and disbursing victim compensation," the bench said.
The court also issued directions over the lack of proper infrastructure at mediation centres across Kerala. It asked the KeLSA Member Secretary to review the status of compensation payments with the respective DLSAs every week and submit a report on December 2, the next date of hearing.
According to Press Trust of India, the bench said, "It is reported that claims for victim compensation amounting to Rs 9.73 crore in 225 cases arising up to July 2026 have been pending before the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, since September 16, 2026. The state government is directed to release the aforesaid amount, preferably within five weeks from date."
On the mediators' honorarium, the court directed the KeLSA Member Secretary to submit a statement to the Finance Department Secretary specifying the difference payable under the revised rates announced on September 30.
"The Finance Department shall release the said differential amount at the earliest. The Member Secretary, KeLSA, shall also file an affidavit reporting the disbursement of honorarium to the mediators and victim compensation," the court said.
The DLSA secretaries were directed to provide all necessary information to the KeLSA Member Secretary so that the affidavit could be filed in compliance with the order.
The court has thus asked the government to clear the pending victim compensation within five weeks, release the revised honorarium to mediators and reconsider their rates, while directing legal services authorities to prevent delays in future payments.
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