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2023 Supreme(Raj) 1965

IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN AT JAIPUR BENCH
Narendra Singh Dhaddha, J.
United India Insurance Company Sikar – Appellant
Versus
Gulabi Devi and Others – Respondents
S.B. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No. 121 of 2015
Decided On : 04-09-2023

Advocates:
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Amarnath Pareek
For the Respondents: N.R. Singh, Ajay Kumar Tanenia

Headnote:(A) Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 - Section 30 - Appeal against the order of the Workmen Compensation Commissioner challenging the compensation awarded - The court emphasized the limited jurisdiction of appellate courts to substantial questions of law only - No interference warranted as factual findings were sound and not perverse. (Paras 2, 6, 12)

(B) Factual findings - The commissioner's decision was based on sound appreciation of evidence; therefore, the appeal lacked substantial legal questions requiring reassessment of evidence. (Paras 5, 11, 12)

Facts of the case:
The appeal was against a judgment awarding Rs. 6,39,200/- as compensation and Rs. 5,000/- for funeral expenses, with specified interest rates for delayed payment, in a workmen's compensation claim. The insurance company contested the earning capacity of the deceased alleging he was a passenger in the vehicle and not a worker.

Findings of Court:
The court upheld the commissioner's findings, confirming that they were based on valid evidence and the appeal did not present any substantial question of law warranting intervention.

Issues: The primary issues were whether the deceased was entitled to be considered a worker under the Act and whether the findings of fact warranted appellate review.

Ratio Decidendi: The court maintained that an appeal under Section 30 is confined to substantial questions of law only and re-evaluation of factual findings is outside the court's jurisdiction.

Result: Appeal dismissed.

Table of Content
1. factual background of the case. (Para 1)
2. arguments presented by the parties. (Para 2 , 3)
3. court's review of evidence and findings. (Para 4 , 5)
4. legal framework and limitations of appeal. (Para 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11)
5. conclusion and dismissal of the appeal. (Para 12 , 13)

JUDGMENT :

Narendra Singh Dhaddha, J.

1. This Civil Misc. Appeal has been filed by the appellant- Insurance Company (for short 'the Insurance Company') under section 30 of Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923 (for short, the Act of 1923) against the judgment dated 24.11.2014 passed by learned Workmen Compensation Commissioner, Sikar in claim case No. WCC/F/44/2011 titled as Smt. Gulabi Devi & Ors. v. Gulzari Lal & Anr., whereby an amount of Rs. 6,39,200/- and Rs. 5,000/- as funeral expenses with interest @ 9% from the date of filing the claim petition has been awarded in favour of the claimants-respondents (for short 'the claimants') and against the Insurance Company and in case the compensation is not paid within 30 days, the amount of compensation shall carry interest @ 12% per annum.

2. Learned counsel for the Insurance Company submits that learned Commissioner wrongly allowed the claim petition filed by the claimants. Learned counsel for the Insurance Company also submits that there is no evidence that deceased was earning Rs. 8,000/- per month. Learned counsel for the Insurance Company submits that as per FIR, the deceased was travelling in the offending truck as a passenger and was going to meet his relatives. So, appeal be allowed and judgment 24.11.2014 passed by Workmen Compensation Commissioner, Sikar be set aside.

3. At the outset, learned counsel for the claimants submits that no substantial question of law is involved in this appeal. The appeal has been submitted on the findings of facts. In support of his contentions, counsel for the claimants has placed reliance on the judgments delivered by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the cases of Golla Rajanna Etc. v. The Divisional Manager And Anr. reported in 2017 (1) SCC 45 and North East Karnataka Transport Corporation v. Smt. Sujatha reported in 2019 (11) SCC 514.

4. Heard counsel for the parties and perused the impugned judgment including the documents available on the record.

5. In the considered opinion of this Court, the findings given by the learned Commissioner are based on sound appreciation of evidence and the same are not liable to be disturbed by this Court.

6. In the opinion of this Court also, the learned Commissioner is the last authority on facts as it has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Golla Rajanna Etc. (supra):

    “8. Section 30 of the Act provides for appeal to the High Court. To the extent, the provision reads as follows:

    30. Appeals:

    (1) An appeal shall lie to the High Court from the following orders of a Commissioner, namely:

    (a) an order awarding as compensation a lumpsum whether by way of redemption of a half-monthly payment or otherwise or disallowing a claim in full or in part for a lump sum;[(aa) an order awarding interest or penalty Under Section 4A;]

    (b) an order refusing to allow redemption of a half-monthly payment;

    (c) an order providing for the distribution of compensation among the dependants of a deceased workman, or disallowing any claim of a person alleging himself to be such dependant;

    (d) an order allowing or disallowing any claim for the amount of an indemnity under the provisions of Sub-section (2) of Section 12; or

    (e) an order refusing to register a memorandum of agreement or registering the same or providing for the registration of the same subject to conditions:

    Provided that no appeal shall lie against any order unless a substantial question of law is involved in the appeal and in the case of an order other than an order such as is referred to in Clause (b),unless the amount in dispute in the appeal is not less than three hundred rupees (Emphasis supplied)

    10. Under the scheme of the Act, the workmen's Compensation Commissioner is the

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