Insurance Benefits Under CM's Advocates Welfare Scheme Can't Be Claimed Without Voter ID Verification Despite Registration: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that mere registration under the Chief Minister's Advocates Welfare Scheme does not entitle an advocate to insurance benefits unless the advocate's Voter ID (EPIC) details are duly verified. The Court observed that insurance benefits under the scheme could not be claimed where EPIC verification remained incomplete, despite the advocate having been issued an...
The Delhi High Court has held that mere registration under the Chief Minister's Advocates Welfare Scheme does not entitle an advocate to insurance benefits unless the advocate's Voter ID (EPIC) details are duly verified.
The Court observed that insurance benefits under the scheme could not be claimed where EPIC verification remained incomplete, despite the advocate having been issued an e-card earlier under interim court directions.
Justice Anish Dayal thus dismissed an advocate's plea seeking reimbursement of medical expenses incurred during treatment for prostate cancer in 2022.
Petitioner contended that he was a beneficiary under the Group Mediclaim Insurance Policy issued pursuant to the Chief Minister's Advocates Welfare Scheme and that he had earlier received reimbursements for COVID-19 treatment and cataract surgery.
The scheme, introduced by the Delhi Government for advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, required verification of enrolment details and EPIC numbers.
Though the petitioner had registered on the portal and was temporarily issued an e-card pursuant to interim directions passed in earlier litigation concerning the scheme, his EPIC verification remained incomplete because incorrect voter ID details had been furnished initially.
The Court noted that a Division Bench had later stayed the broader directions of the Single Judge extending benefits to unverified advocates. Following the stay, insurance coverage continued only for advocates whose details stood verified.
Petitioner however neither corrected his details within the stipulated period nor reapplied during the fresh registration window opened in February 2022.
Thus rejecting his plea, the Court held that the petitioner could not claim reimbursement as a beneficiary when he was admittedly not part of the final verified list during the relevant period in 2022.
The Court also rejected the argument of “legitimate expectation” based on earlier reimbursements, observing that the petitioner, being an advocate himself, was fully aware that the earlier benefit flowed only from interim court orders which had subsequently been stayed.
The Court further observed that the public notice issued by the Delhi Government clearly specified that mere registration under the scheme would not confer benefits unless enrolment and EPIC details were verified.
It noted that granting relief in such cases would open the floodgates for similarly placed unverified (6,610) registrants.
Appearance: Mr. Kanwarpal Singh, Mr. Sudhir, Mr. Deepak & MS, Shweta Gupta, Advs. for Petitioner; Mr. Anubhav Gupta, Panel Counsel (Civil), GNCTD with Mr. Siddharth Arora, Adv. Mr. T Singhdev, Mr. Vedant Sood, Advs. for BCD. Mr. J.P.N. Shahi, Adv. for Insurance Company
Case title: Prithipal Singh v. Government Of Nct Of Delhi Through Its Secretary And Anr.
Case no.: W.P.(C) 4/2023