The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday posted for October 11 the hearing of the plea relating to the compensation to the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy and sought the Centre’s stand on the issue.
A Constitution Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked the Central government about its stand on the curative petition filed by the previous government in 2010. The curative plea sought over Rs 7,400 crore as additional funds from successor firms of US-based Union Carbide Corporation, now owned by Dow Chemicals, for giving compensation to victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy. The five-judge bench comprised Justices Sanjiv Khanna, AS Oka, Vikram Nath, and JK Maheshwari.
The bench posted the matter for hearing on October 11. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Center, said that he has to take instructions from the government.
“Counsel would like to obtain instructions as to the stand of the government, as the said petition has been moved by them.”List on October 11,” said the bench. The Center’s curative plea for enhanced compensation for the victims sought a direction to Union Carbide and other firms for over Rs 7,400 crore in additional amounts over and above the earlier settlement amount of USD 470 million for paying compensation to the gas tragedy victims.