High Court Of Madhya Pradesh
S. P. SRIVASTAVA, N. G. KARAMBELKAR
PUSHPA DEVI - Appellant
Versus
KAMAL SINGH - Respondents
M. A. 206 Of 1992
Decided On : 07/20/2001
Motor Vehicles Act - Motor Accidents Claims - 110-A - 1939 - Summary: The court discussed the claim for compensation under section 110-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, and the liability of the insurance company. It highlighted the provisions of the insurance policy and the extent of liability of the insurer towards the third party as per section 95(1)(b) of the Act. The court also referred to previous decisions to establish the insurer's right to recover from the insured if there was a breach of policy conditions.
Fact of the Case:
The claimants sought modification of the award and grant of compensation against the owner, driver, and insurer of the offending tractor following the death of the deceased in an accident. The tribunal found the driver and deceased negligent and determined the compensation amount based on the deceased's income and dependency.
Finding of the Court:
The court affirmed the tribunal's findings on negligence, age of the deceased, income assessment, and multiplier for compensation. It allowed the appeal in part, holding the insurer liable to pay the entire award amount to the claimants and allowed the insurer to recover the excess amount from the insured.
Issues: Claim for compensation, negligence of driver and deceased, assessment of income and dependency, liability of the insurer, and right to recover from the insured.
Ratio Decidendi: The court upheld the tribunal's assessment of negligence, income, and dependency. It relied on the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, and previous decisions to establish the insurer's liability and right to recover from the insured.
Final Decision: The court modified the award, holding the insurer liable to pay the entire amount to the claimants and allowing the insurer to recover the excess amount from the insured. The impugned award remained intact in other respects.
( 1 ) FEELING aggrieved by an award of Motor Accidents Claims tribunal under the proceedings under section 110-A of Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, whereunder as against the claim of compensation to the extent of Rs. 6,88,000 by the present claimants-appellants, they had been awarded an amount of Rs. 2,16,000 and that too against the owner and driver of the offending motor vehicle which was a tractor exonerating the insurer company, they have now come up in appeal praying for modification of the award and grant of the amount of compensation as prayed for against not only the owner and driver but also against the insurer.
( 2 ) WE have heard the learned counsel for the parties and have carefully perused the record.
( 3 ) THE facts in brief shorn of details and necessary for the disposal of this appeal lie in a narrow compass: Dwarika Prasad the husband of the appellant No. 1 and the father of the other appellants died in an accident involving the offending motor vehicle, tractor bearing registration No. CPH 6414 on 30. 7. 1985.
( 4 ) THE present appellants submitted an application under section 110-A of the motor Vehicles Act, 1939, on 26. 8. 1985 raising a claim for compensation of an amount of Rs. 6,88,000. In their application, it had been asserted that Dwarika prasad, the deceased was aged 32 years at the time of his death and was hale and hearty. It was also asserted that the deceased was running a shop of 'kirana and parchun' in the village Salon of Block bhander from which business he was earning Rs. 2,000 per month. It was further asserted that the deceased was travelling in the offending tractor along with several other persons of the village as passengers while going to have a darshan of Kaksi hanumanji. The tractor was being driven in a rash and negligent manner with quite a speed. There was a trolley attached to the tractor in which other persons were sitting who had asked the driver to run the tractor slowly but he did not listen. It was also asserted that during the way the brakes were applied all of a sudden with the result that Dwarika Prasad, the deceased fell down from the tractor and was run over by the wheel of the trolley and died.
( 5 ) PUSHPA Devi, wife of the deceased who disclosed her age to be 32 years was examined as PW 1 in support of the case of the claimants. In her deposition, she had stated that her husband used to run a flour mill also besides running the shop of 'par-chun and kirana and gave her Rs. 2,000 per month for household expenses. She admitted the fact that the deceased was also running a flour mill was being disclosed for the first time before the Tribunal. In para 6 of her deposition, she admitted that at the time of the death of Dwarika Prasad, he was aged 40 years.
( 6 ) HARDAS was examined by claimants as PW 2. He claimed to be co-passenger travelling in the said tractor along with the deceased at the relevant time. He had stated that the trolley was attached with the tractor. Dwarika Prasad, the deceased was sitting on the tractor itself and was run over by the wheel of the trolley after he had fallen down. It was also stated that there was a mela in Kaksi near the temple of Hanumanji and all the passengers were going to the mela. He had also stated that dwarika Prasad had 20 bighas of agricultural holding from which he earned about rs. 30,000 per annum. Apart from that he was running a flour mill from which he earned Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 per month. It was further stated that the deceased was also running a 'parchuri' shop from which he was earning Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 25,000 per annum. In para 5 of his deposition, he had stated that a wooden plank had been put on the mudguards of the tractor on which 5 passengers were made to sit. It was further stated that he was sitting by the side of Dwarika Prasad on the tractor itself. Kamal Singh who had the driving licence was driving the tractor.
( 7 ) DWARKA Prasad s/o Narayandas, one of the close relations of the deceased
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