Delhi HC Seeks AAP Govt Stand on Wills of Senior Citizens Not Being Registered due to Covid-19 Scare

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the AAP government on a plea claiming that sub-registrars in the national capital are refusing to register 'wills' and other documents of senior citizens, persons with co-morbidities and pregnant women by citing risk of COVID infection.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the Delhi government seeking its response to the plea by a lawyer who has sought that there be no refusal to register documents of such individuals.

The petition by advocate Gautam Gambhir has also sought that some special facility or assistance be provided to senior citizens and other vulnerable persons to get their wills and other documents registered.

The petition also seeks abolishing of "the archaic procedures and to adopt suitable mechanism for registration of documents through digital or other means to avoid contamination as a preparedness to COVID-19 like situations".

Gambhir, in his plea, has contended that senior citizens and others vulnerable to COVID-19 "are being unlawfully deprived and prevented from getting their testamentary and non-testamentary documents registered in the office of the Sub-Registrars in New Delhi on account of misinterpretation of lockdown guidelines".

The petition has further said that "in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 positive cases the immediate apprehension to life has become even more frightening, thereby, leading to an urgent need for the making and registration of wills by senior citizens and such persons who wish to secure the bequest of their property among their rightful heirs".