The government counsel added that the name of the deceased does not figure in the Ahuja Committee report and intimation of death given by the claimant could not be established by police.

But refuting the government's claim, the court pointed out that the name of the deceased was there in the Ahuja Committee report and intimation of his death was also there in the records of police.

Denying the government's contention that Megh Singh did not claim the initial compensation of Rs.20,000 and approached the government only in 1996, the court said: 'The petitioner is illiterate. It is possible that he may not be fully aware and conscious of his rights and entitlement to compensation. This to some extent explains the delay on his part in approaching the respondents (government).'