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2011 Supreme(Raj) 1209

2011(2) CCR 1399 (Raj.)
(Rajasthan High Court)
New India Assurance Co. Ltd. Vs. Arvind & Ors. (Dr. Kothari, J.)
HON'BLE DR. VINEET KOTHARI, J.
New India Assurance Co. Ltd.
Versus
Arvind & Ors.
S.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 523, 521, 522 & 524 of 2000, decided on

Advocates Appeared
D.K. Bhootra, for Appellant-Insurance Co.;
Sunil Ranwha for Manish Shishodia, for Respondents

Headnote:Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Secs. 149 & 173 — Motor accident claim — Award by Tribunal — Compensation — Appeals for exoneration from liability — Contention that driver of offending vehicle was not having valid driving licence — Breach of policy condition — Held — Breach of policy condition cannot be inferred on the ground that the driver had a learning licence — Produced licence was to drive heavy motor vehicle and was valid on the date of accident — Insurance company failed to prove its contention — No interference called for in impugned award. (Paras 3 & 4)

       Appeals dismissed.

       eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e] 1988] /kkjk 149 o 173 & eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok & vf/kdj.k }kjk vf/kfu.kZ; & izfrdj & nkf;Ro ls eqfDr gsrq vihysa & rdZ fd fyIr okgu dk pkyd fof/kekU; pkyku vuqKfIr ugha j[krk Fkk & ikWfylh ds 'krZ dk Hkax & vfHkfu/kkZfjr & bl vk/kkj ij ikWfylh ds 'krZ dk Hkax dk fu"d"kZ ugha fudkyk tk ldrk fd pkyd ,d yjfuax vuqKfIr j[krk Fkk & izLrqr vuqKfIr Hkkjh eksVj okgu pykus dk Fkk vkSj nq?kZVuk dh frfFk dks fof/kekU; Fkk & chek daiuh viuk rdZ lkfcr djus esa vlQy gqvk & vkyksP; vf/kfu.kZ; esa gLr{ksi dh ekax ughaA ¼in la[;k 3 ,oa 4½

       vihysa vLohdkj dhA

       

Hon'ble Dr.KOTHARI, J.—These four appeals have been filed by the appellant Insurance Company – The New India Assurance Company being aggrieved by the award of MACT, Udaipur dated 22/3/2000 deciding claim petition nos. 128/93 and 129/93 (Arvind & Ors. vs. Devil Lal & Ors.) and claim petition nos. 141/93 and 234/93 (Smt. Haseena Bano & Ors. vs. Devi Lal & ors.) by which, in an accident which took place on 25/12/1992 between vehicle No. RJY 9427 being driven by respondent no.1 Devi Lal, while deciding issue no.3 against the appellant Insurance Company, the learned Tribunal has held that the appellant Insurance Company failed to prove that the said respondent no.1, Devi Lal, was driving the said vehicle without a valid driving license and consequently there was breach of policy conditions and accordingly the appellant Insurance Company could not be held liable to pay the amount of compensation in question.

2. Learned Tribunal while giving findings on issue no.3 at page 5 and 6 of the impugned award has held that the said respondent no.1, Devi Lal, was holding learning license No. 25036 in the name of Devi Lal s/o Kheta, which was produced as Ex.7 before the learned Tribunal and then said license was to drive heavy motor vehicle and valid for the period 30/11/92 to 29/5/93 during which period the said accident took place on 25/12/1992. No verification of the said driving license and its validity was got done with the concerned Transport Officer nor any other evidence was produced before the learned Tribunal in this regard. No notice was given to the driver or owner of the vehicle by the appellant Insurance Company also and the witness, who appeared before the learned Tribunal on behalf of the Insurance Company, namely; Dilip Lakhotia admitted that no such notice was given to the owner or driver of the said vehicle nor any such inquiry was made with the local transport office. The other conditions of the insurance policy are admittedly satisfied in the present case and, therefore, the claim of the Insurance Company that they were liable to be exonerated from their liability was not accepted and issue no.3 was decided against it.

3. In the present appeal filed by the Insurance Company also, the appellant Insurance Company has failed to satisfy this Court as to how in the absence of appellant Insurance Company having proved before the learned Tribunal that driver was not holding a valid license, it could be so exonerated from its liability. The breach of policy condition cannot be inferred merely because the driver – respondent no.1 held a learning license. The said vehicle collided with the auto rickshaw, which was ditched (`Gaddha') and three persons, namely; Prakashmal, Pushpa Devi and its driver Ashfaq died.

4. Having heard the learned counsels and upon perusal of the impugned award, this Court is satisfied that no interference in the impugned award is called for in the present appeal and the present appeal being devoid of merit is liable to be dismissed and same is accordingly dismissed. No order as to costs.



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