2022 Supreme(All) 800
J.J.MUNIR
United India Insurance Co. – Appellant
Versus
Hari Shanker – Respondent
Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellant : Alka Saxena.
For the Respondents: Arun Kumar Tewari, Kamal Tiwari, Vimal Kumar, Vishwa Mohini.
Judgement Key Points
- The Insurance Company is not liable to indemnify a gratuitous passenger on a goods vehicle unless the passenger is the owner of the goods or his authorized agent, and this is after the 1994 Amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. (!) (!)
- Tribunal directions requiring the Insurance Company to pay and then recover from the owner are to be set aside in cases where the insurer has no payment liability for gratuitous passengers on goods vehicles; the owner’s liability remains, and any statutory deposits by the insurer are to be refunded. (!) (!)
- The Supreme Court in Shamanna and others v. Divisional Manager, Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. clarified that pay-and-recover directions under Article 142 may not be applicable where the insurer has no liability, especially for gratuitous passengers on goods vehicles; subsequent cases (Anu Bhanvara) show exceptions limited to specific factual contexts (e.g., young children) and not as a general rule. (!) (!) (!)
- There is a continuing judicial trend acknowledging that pay-and-recover is not a blanket remedy for gratuitous passengers on goods vehicles, and each case depends on whether the insurer’s liability exists under the statute and policy terms. (!) (!) (!)
- The appellate view ultimately (in this case) allowed the appeal to the extent of removing pay-and-recover liability from the insurer, while preserving the owner’s liability and refunding the insurer’s deposit. (!)
What is the liability of an Insurance Company to pay and recover against a gratuitous passenger on board a goods vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 after the 1994 amendment?
What are the circumstances under which the insurer may be required to indemnify a gratuitous passenger traveling in a goods vehicle, if any?
What is the effect of Article 142 directions on pay-and-recover orders where the insurer has no liability to pay in cases of gratuitous passengers on goods vehicles?
JUDGMENT :
J.J. MUNIR, J.
1. This is an Insurance Company's appeal challenging the judgment and award passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal/Additional District Judge, Court No. 6, Sitapur dated 07.02.2008 in MACP No. 230 of 2006, ordering the Insurance Company to pay and recover.
2. The only issue involved in this appeal is whether a gratuitous passenger, travelling on board a goods vehicle, who sustains injury in an accident, is entitled to recover from the Insurance Company on the plea of pay and recover?
3. In view of the issue involved, elaborate reference to the facts and evidence is not warranted in the present appeal. All that is relevant is that the claimant-respondent, Hari Shanker was travelling on board a truck bearing Registration No. UGK-0016 on 06.02.2006. He was proceeding from his native Village Nai Basti, Juhra, Pargana and Tehsil Mishrikh, District Sitapur to Powayan. The truck by accident, ill-fate or negligence, turned turtle at a place called Niyamatpur within the local limits of Police Station Sidhauli, District Shahjahanpur. The accident occurred at around 4 o'clock in the evening hours.
4. It is the claimant's case that he sustained grievous injuries leadi
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