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1994 JLJ 269
P.P. Naolekar, J.
Vishnu Kumar v. Liladhar & others
Misc. Civil Case No.3 of 1993; Decided on 2.11.1993.
(2) Tribunal -- derives its ‘judicial powers‘ from the sovereign State in special matters -- if called upon to discharge a judicial function -- it is a Court. AIR 1985 Kar. 208 and 1971 JLJ 90 (FB) relied on. [Para 3
(3) Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 -- S. 165 -- Motor Accident Claims Tribunal constituted under -- is a civil Court -- provisions of Civil Procedure Code are applicable to it if there is no conflicting provision under the special enactment i.e. the Motor Vehicles Act itself. [Para 3
(4) Civil P.C., 1908 --S. 24 -- provision for transfer of cases from one Court to another -- is applicable to the claim cases under Motor Vehicles Act.
There is no conflict between the procedure of the tribunal prescribed in the Act and Civil Procedure Code. In the Motor Vehicles Act, or rules framed there under, there is no provision like section 24 C.P.C. Where under powers are given to a tribunal to transfer the case from one Court to another Court and therefore, section 24 of the Civil Procedure Code has an application for transfer of claim petition from one Accident Claims Tribunal to another Accident Claims Tribunal. The High Court has jurisdiction to transfer the case exercising powers under section 24 of the Civil Procedure Code. AIR 1991 Gauhati 71, AIR 1989 Mad. 350, AIR 1985 Kar. 208 and 1983 ACJ 123 relied on. [Paras 3 & 4
(5) Civil P.C., 1908 -- S. 21 (1) and (2)-- Jurisdiction n territorial, pecuniary and jurisdiction over the subject matter i.e. the inherent jurisdiction -- territorial and pecuniary jurisdictions are of technical nature while inherent jurisdiction is of substantive nature which may be challenged at any stage -- want of territorial or pecuniary jurisdiction is not fatal and is curable -- want of third type of jurisdiction is a fatal defect. AIR 1962 SC 159, AIR 1969 SC 823, AIR 1982 Orrisa 191 and AIR 1973 Mad. 2 relied on. [Paras 6 & 7
(6) Civil P.C., 1908 -- S. 24 -- words "competence of Court " used under -- are with reference to competence as to subject matter of the case i.e. with regard to inherent jurisdiction in the matter -- territorial or pecuniary jurisdiction has not been considered necessary for the purposes of transfer of the case. [Para 8
¼1½ U;k;ky; & ns‘k ds lkekU; flfoy U;k;ky; ds :Ik esa jkT; dh ^U;kf;d ‘kfDr* dk ç;ksx djrk gS & og flfoy çÑfr ds lHkh ekeyksa dk fopkj.k djrk gS flok; mu ekeyksa ds ftudk laKku vfHkO;Drr% vFkok foof{kr rkSj ij oftZr gS & lHkh U;k;ky; vf/kdj.k gksrs gSa fdarq vko‘;d ugha fd bldk foijhr lgh gksA ¿iSjk 3
¼2½ vf/kdj.k & viuh ^U;kf;d ‘kfDr;k¡* çHkqRolaiUu jkT; ls fo‘ks"k ekeyksa esa çkIr djrk gS & U;kf;d ÑR; ds fuoZgu ds fy, vkàku fd, tkus ij & og U;k;ky; gSA , vkb vkj 1985 dukZVd 208 rFkk 1971 ts ,y ts 90 ¼iw.kZ U;k;ihB½ voyafcrA ¿iSjk 3
¼3½ eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e] 1988 & /kkjk 165 & mica/k ds v/khu xfBr eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k & flfoy U;k;ky; gS & ;fn fo‘ks"k vf/kfu;fefr vFkkZr Lo;a eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e ds v/khu dksbZ fojks/kkRed mica/k ugha gSa rks ml ij flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk ds mica/k ykxw gksaxsA ¿iSjk 3
¼4½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & /kkjk 24 & ekeys ,d U;k;ky; ls nwljs U;k;ky; varfjr fd, tkus dk mica/k & eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e ds v/khu nkok ekeyksa ij ykxw gksrk gSA
vf/kfu;e esa fofgr vf/kdj.k dh çfØ;k rFkk flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk ds chp dksbZ fojks/k ugha gSA eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e] vFkok mlds v/khu fojfpr fu;eksa esa] flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 24 ds leku dksbZ mica/k ugha gS ftlds v/khu vf/kdj.k dks ,d U;k;ky; ls nwljs U;k;ky; ekeyk varfjr djus dh ‘kfDr;k¡ nh xbZ gksa rFkk blfy,] ,d nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k ls nwljs nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k dks nkok vthZ ds varj.k ds fy, flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 24 ykxw gksrh gSA mPp U;k;ky; dks flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk dh /kkjk 24 ds v/khu ‘kfDr;ksa dk ç;ksx djrs gq, ekeyk varfjr djus dh vf/kdkfjrk gSA , vkb vkj 1991 xqokgkVh 71] , vkb vkj 1989 enzkl 350] , vkb vkj 1985 dukZVd 208 rFkk 1983 , lh ts 123 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 3 ,oa 4
¼5½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & /kkjk 21 ¼1½ rFkk ¼2½ & vf/kdkfjrk & {ks=h;] /kuh; rFkk fo"k; oLrq dh vf/kdkfjrk vFkkZr varfufgZr vf/kdkfjrk & {ks=h; rFkk /kuh; vf/kdkfjrk rduhdh çÑfr dh gksrh gSa tcfd vrfuZfgr vf/kdkfjrk lkjHkwr çÑfr dh gksrh gS ftls fdlh Hkh çØe ij vk{ksfir fd;k tk ldrk gS & {ks=h; vFkok /kuh; vf/kdkfjrk dk vHkko ?kkrd ugha gSa rFkk lk/; gS & rhljh fdLe dh vf/kdkfjrk dk vHkko ?kkrd =qfV gSA , vkb vkj 1962 ,l lh 159] , vkb vkj 1969 ,l lh 823] , vkb vkj 1982 mM+hlk 191 rFkk , vkb vkj 1973 enzkl 2 voyafcrA ¿iSjk 6 ,oa 7
¼6½ flfoy çfØ;k lafgrk] 1908 & /kkjk 24 & mica/k ds v/khu ç;qDr ‘‘kCn ^^U;k;ky; dh l{kerk** & ekeys dh fo"k; oLrq ls lacaf/kr l{kerk ds lanHkZ esa gSa vFkkZr ekeys dh varfuZfgr vf/kdkfjrk ds laca/k esa gSa & ekeys ds varj.k ds ç;kstuksa ds fy, {ks=h; vFkok /kuh; vf/kdkfjrk dks vko‘;d ugha le>k x;k gSA ¿iSjk 8
P.P. Naolekar, J. -- 1. This order shall also govern disposal of M.C.C. No. 4/93 (Vinod Kumar v. Liladhar & ors), M.C.C. No. 5/93 (Smt. Gayatri Devi v. Liladhar) and M.C.C. No. 6/93 (Kapoor Chand v. Liladhar). The question involved in these petitions is of general public importance and is of every day occurrence, and therefore, I requested Shri Deepak Verma and Shri Ravindra Shrivastava, Advocates, to appear as Amicus Curiae. I must record my thanks for their able assistance to this Court at a short notice in-spite of their pre-occupation and responsibilities. The question is whether the High Court has power and jurisdiction to transfer a case from Jabalpur Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal to Bilaspur Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal constituted by the State Government for a particular area by notification issued under section 165 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, exercising powers under section 24 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908. Arguments of the counsel were spread over on three aspects. Whether the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred as the' Act'), with the rules framed there under, is a self-contained code and therefore, Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 has application only, so far as the provisions of Civil Procedure Code are expressly made applicable under the. the Act or the rules framed under section 176 of the Act. Whether the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal is a Court subordinate to the High Court; whether the transferee Court can be said to be a Court competent to entertain an application for compensation in view of section 166 (2) of the Act.
2. Under section 165 of the Act, Motor Accidents Claims Tribunals are constituted by the State Government by issuance of the notification in the Official Gazette for the area as may be specified in the notification for the purpose of adjudicating upon claims for compensation in respect of accidents involving the death of, or bodily injury to, persons arising out of the use of motor vehicles, or damages to any property of third party so arising, or both. Section 166 provides procedure and locus in moving an application for compensation; sub section (2) of section 166 provides that every application shall be made to the claims Tribunal having jurisdiction over the area in which the accident occurred; section 168 gives power to the tribunal to pass an award determining the amount of compensation; section 169 gives the procedure and powers of the Claims Tribunal wherein the Claims Tribunal has been vested with the powers of the Civil Court for the purpose of taking evidence on oath and of enforcing at-ten-dance of witnesses and compelling the discovery and production of the documents. The Claims Tribunal is deemed to be a Civil Court for all the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Section 171 gives authority to the Tribunal to award simple interest over the amount of compensation and section 172 is in respect of award of compensatory costs. Section 173 is a provision where under an appeal against the award lies to the High Court. Section 174 is a provision where under an order can be passed by the Claims Tribunal for recovery of money from the insurer as arrears of land revenue. Section 175 bars the jurisdiction of the Civil Court, where any Claims Tribunal has been constituted for an area, in respect of any question relating to any claim for compensation. Section 176 authorises the State Govt. to make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of section 165 to 174 and the rules may provide for a form of application for claims for compensation, the procedure to be followed by the Claims Tribunal in holding an inquiry under Chapter XII. The powers vested in the Civil Court which may be exercised by the Claims Tribunal; the form and the manner in which and the fees if any, on payment of which an appeal may be preferred against an award of a Claims Tribunal; and any other matter which is to be, or may be pres
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