J&K govt revises ex-gratia relief for L&O disturbance victims

Srinagar, Aug 11: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has notified a consolidated framework for payment of ex-gratia relief to civilians, security personnel, government employees and others affected by law-and-order disturbances, with compensation ranging from Rs 500 for minor injuries to Rs 25 lakh for the death of a J&K domicile defence or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.
The General Administration Department (GAD), in an order, superseded its earlier order dated December 3, 2025, and issued revised guidelines for sanctioning relief under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme.
As per the new framework, the next of kin of a civilian killed in circumstances covered under the order will be eligible for Rs 1 lakh. The same amount will be provided in cases involving deaths on the International Border (IB) or Line of Control (LoC), as well as surrendered militants and militants who had turned informers.
The ex-gratia relief has been fixed at Rs 75,000 for permanent disability, Rs 5,000 for injuries requiring hospitalisation for more than 24 hours, Rs 1,000 for hospitalisation of less than 24 hours and Rs 500 for minor injuries.
The order clarifies that relief for persons other than government employees will be admissible only when the victims were not directly or indirectly involved in actual violence or its instigation and were killed, disabled or injured innocently.
For police personnel, the ex-gratia compensation for death has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh, including in the case of Special Police Officers (SPOs). The death of an ex-serviceman will attract Rs 2 lakh, while permanent and partial disability will be compensated with Rs 75,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively.
Police personnel killed or completely or partially disabled in militancy-related incidents while on duly sanctioned leave will also be eligible for relief under the applicable provisions.
For defence personnel and CAPFs, the government has prescribed Rs 5 lakh for a non-domicile killed in J&K, while the death of a J&K domicile personnel will attract Rs 25 lakh, irrespective of whether the death occurs within or outside the Union Territory.
Permanent disability of such personnel in J&K will attract Rs 75,000, while partial disability will be compensated with Rs 10,000.
The administration has also prescribed separate relief for government employees other than police personnel. The next of kin of a magistrate killed in circumstances covered under the order will receive Rs 2 lakh, while the death of other government employees will attract Rs 1 lakh.
Permanent disability will qualify for Rs 75,000, while serious injuries requiring hospitalisation for more than 24 hours will attract Rs 5,000. Injuries requiring hospitalisation for less than 24 hours will qualify for Rs 1,000 and minor injuries for Rs 500.
The order also provides for cases where there is no direct or conclusive evidence of death but a person is reported missing or the body has not been identified.
In such cases, relief may be sanctioned after a personal inquiry by the District Magistrate into the circumstances in which the person’s death can reasonably be presumed to have occurred. The recipient will have to furnish an indemnity bond and surety bond undertaking to refund the relief if subsequent evidence establishes that the person had not died.
The administration has further laid down provisions for compensation for property damaged during counter-terrorism operations.
For damage to movable and immovable property caused during counter-terrorism operations undertaken by CAPFs or the Army, relief will be capped at Rs 10 lakh or the actual assessed loss, whichever is less, subject to verification by the District Level Screening Committee.
Of this amount, the ceiling has been fixed at Rs 7 lakh for immovable property and Rs 3 lakh for movable property.
For damage caused by shelling or firing from across the IB or LoC, the relief will be 50 per cent of the assessed loss or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is less.
In cases of damage to immovable property caused by a bomb blast or other act of sabotage, relief will similarly be limited to 50 per cent of the assessed loss or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is less.
The Deputy Commissioner concerned will sanction relief for eligible persons other than police personnel, while relief for police personnel will be sanctioned by the Director General of Police. Cases involving defence personnel and CAPFs will be sanctioned by the Government’s Home Department.
A person aggrieved by the Deputy Commissioner’s assessment of damage to immovable property may appeal before the concerned Divisional Commissioner within 30 days from the date of the order, the government said. (KNO)