Pravasi Legal Cell's Newsletter, October 2018
Posts
Delhi HC issues Notice to Air India over policy on repatriation of mortal remains
The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the Union government and Air India on the airline’s illegal and arbitrary practice of weighing dead bodies of Indian emigrants and charging them accordingly for transportation. The notice is issued by a bench consisting of the Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. K. Rao on a Public Interest Litigation filed by a Delhi based NGO, Pravasi Legal Cell. The petition filed through Advocate Jose Abraham, prayed that the Civil aviation Ministry and the National Carrier be directed to form proper guidelines to regulate domestic transportation and international repatriation of mortal remains. Due to lack of proper guidelines or policies, the Airlines are charging exorbitant rates for transporting mortal remains and the rates keep fluctuating, placing the indigent overseas migrants in a very disadvantageous position. Currently, the airlines including the national carrier treat human remains as cargo and charge for their shippin...
PIL in Delhi HC challenges airlines' policy on Repatriation of Mortal remains
The illegal and arbitrary practice of weighing mortal remains and charging for its transportation accordingly by airlines has been challenged through a Public Interest Litigation before the Delhi High Court. Pravasi Legal Cell, a Delhi based NGO, has filed the PIL seeking guidelines to regulate the practice of carrying dead bodies of Indians dying abroad. Currently, the airlines including Air India treat human remains as cargo and charge the shipping of the same accordingly. Apart from accusing airlines of violating human dignity through this practice, there is also allegation about the exorbitant rates that AI charges for repatriation of mortal remains. Recently Air India was in news regarding its cancellation of the 50% discount that was applicable on transportation of mortal remains from UAE to India. With this, the charges increased to about eighty thousand rupees for carrying a dead body back to India from the UAE, which is unbearable to most of the low-paid India...
