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2022 Supreme(Raj) 2012

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR
Anoop Kumar Dhand, J.
Nandu Devi & Ors. – Appellants
Versus
Sohanlal & Ors. – Respondents
S.B. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No. 769 of 2017
Decided On : 23-02-2022

Advocates appeared:
Deepak Khandelwal, Advocate, M.S. Chaudhary, Advocate

The main legal point established in the judgment is that the income of a daily wager should be assessed for 30 days instead of 26 days, and claimants are entitled to 40% amount towards future prospects.

Headnote:

Motor Vehicles Act - Compensation for Daily Wager - The court modified the award to grant enhanced compensation to the claimants by considering the income of the deceased daily wager for 30 days instead of 26 days and allowing 40% as future prospects towards loss of income.

Fact of the Case:

The appellants challenged the judgment and award passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, claiming that the income of the deceased daily wager should have been assessed for 30 days instead of 26 days and that the claimants were entitled to 40% amount towards future prospects.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the Tribunal erred in assessing the income of the deceased for 26 days instead of 30 days and held that the claimants were entitled to 40% as future prospects towards loss of income. The court allowed the appeal and modified the award to grant enhanced compensation to the claimants.

Issues: Assessment of income for a daily wager, entitlement to future prospects compensation.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the settled position of law that the income of a daily wager should be assessed for 30 days instead of 26 days and the judgment in the case of Pranay Sethi, which established the entitlement of claimants to 40% amount towards future prospects.

Final Decision: The appeal was allowed, and the award passed by the Tribunal was modified to grant the appellants-claimants a further sum of Rs. 2,35,912/- as enhanced compensation. The respondents were directed to deposit the enhanced amount within a period of four weeks with interest.

JUDGMENT

anoop Kumar Dhand, J. - The instant appeal has been filed by the appellants-claimants under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles act, 1988 challenging the judgment and award dated 07.11.2016 passed by Judge, Motor accident Claims Tribunal, Tonk (for short 'the Tribunal') in claim case No. 153/2014, whereby the Tribunal has awarded a sum of Rs. 5,05,232/- in favour of claimants-appellants.

2. Learned counsel for the appellants-claimants submits that while passing the impugned award the Tribunal has granted compensation to the claimants by assessing the income of the deceased for 26 days in a month. While it is a settled position of law that the income of the daily wager is to be assessed for 30 days instead of 26 days. In support of his contentions, learned counsel for the appellants-claimants has placed reliance upon the judgment of Jalaur Singh and Ors. Vs. Barkat Singh and Ors., reported in 2012 (2) MaCT Raj. 692.

3. Learned counsel for the appellants-claimants further submitted that not a single penny has been awarded to the claimants towards future prospects and as per the judgment delivered by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of National Insurance Company Ltd. Vs. Pranay Sethi & Ors., reported in aIR (2017) 16 SCC 680, the claimants are entitled to get 40 per cent amount towards future prospects.

4. Per contra, learned counsel appearing for the Insurance Company opposed the arguments raised by the counsel appearing for the claimants-appellants and submitted that the Tribunal has not committed any error while passing the impugned award, hence, interference of this Court is not required.

5. Heard. Considered.

Monthly income

Rs.166 X 30 = Rs.4,980/-

annual income

Rs. 4,980/12 = Rs. 59,760/- per annum

Multiplier to be applie

17 59,760X 17 = Rs./-10,15,920/-

Less 50 per cent

Rs.10,15,920 - Rs. 5,07,960 = Rs. 5,07,960/-

add 40 per cent towards future prospects

Rs. 5,07,960 + Rs. 2,03,184 = Rs. 7,11,144/-

add general expenses (conventional)

Rs. 30,000/-

Total compensation awardable

Rs. 7,11,144+30,000 =Rs. 7,41,144/-

Less amount awarded by the Tribunal

Rs. 7,41,144 - Rs.5,05,232 = Rs.2,35,912/-

Enhanced amount of compensation

Rs. 2,35,912/-

6. In view of the settled position of law and more particularly the judgment passed in the case of Jalaur Singh (supra), this Court is of the view that the Tribunal ought to have considered the income of the deceased daily wager for 30 days daily wages instead of 26 days and in view of the judgment of Pranay Sethi (supra), claimants-appellants are entitled to get 40 per cent as future prospects towards loss of income, hence, the appellants-claimants are entitled to get the following amount of compensation:

7. accordingly, this appeal stands allowed and the award passed by the Tribunal stands modified to the extent that the appellants-claimants are entitled to get a further sum of Rs. 2,35,912/- by way of enhanced compensation, the remaining terms and conditions of the award shall remain unchanged.

8. It is further ordered that out of the enhanced amount a sum of Rs. 50,000/- be deposited in the Saving Bank account of the claimants and the remaining amount of enhanced compensation be invested in a fixed deposit with any Nationalised Bank initially for a period of three years and the interest accrued on the said amount shall be paid to the appellants on monthly basis.

9. The respondents are directed to deposit the enhanced amount within a period of four weeks from today with interest @ 6% per annum from the date of filing of the claim petition. Consequently, the present appeal stands allowed.

10. all pending applications, if any, stand disposed of.

11. Registry is directed to send back the record of the Tribunal forthwith.

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