A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, while refusing to pass directions to hand-over dead bodies of Covid-19 victims to their next of kin, said that “the larger public interest always prevails over personal rights and the traditions and customs have to yield to the national interest especially in these unprecedented times”.

The Court, however, expressed hope that authorities will not cause any harassment to the next of kin of any person dying due to Covid-19 in viewing the face of the deceased and in allowing them to perform the last rites in the manner laid down as per the guidelines.

(Court on its own motion V/s Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and others)