Motor Vehicle ACT, 1988 Important Judgments: Compiled by Hanif. S. Mulia
Motor Vehicle ACT, 1988 Important Judgments: Compiled by Hanif. S. Mulia
Motor Vehicle ACT, 1988 Important Judgments: Compiled by Hanif. S. Mulia
ACT, 1988
IMPORTANT
JUDGMENTS
1. Tort :-
1 - Whether PWD is liable to pay compensation when it
is proved that roads are not maintained properly-
held- yes- PWD is liable on the ground of principle
of res ipsa loquitor and common law.
1987 ACJ 783 (SC)
2 - U/s 163A, 166 & 158(6) of MV Act- claim petition-
is it necessary in all case for claimant to file
claim petition? Held –no- report under section
158(6) is enough to treat the same as claim
petition-
Jai Prakash v/s National Insurance Com. Ltd,
reported in 2010 (2) GLR 1787 (SC), 2011ACJ 1916
(BOM)
3 - Medical negligence- sterilization operation-
failure of- liability of State.
2013 ACJ 406 (HP)
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2. Section 140 :-
1 - U/S 140 – No fault liability – claimant need not to
plea and establish negligence he is required to
prove that injuries sustained due to vehicular
accident.
2011 ACJ 1603 (Bombay)
But P & H High Court has held ( 2011 ACJ 2128)
- in that case claimant pleaded that he was earning
Rs 7000 p/m. – in deposition, he deposed that he
was earning Rs 3000 p/m.-whether oral evidence
which is contrary to the pleadings could be
accepted in absence of any other documentary
evidence- held –no.
2 - NFL application not filled along with main
petition- Tribunal rejected the application filed
later on- HC confirmed the said order- whether
6. Legal Representative:-
1 - Legal representative- brother & married daughter-
evidence that brother and his family was staying
with deceased and brother was dependent- whether
claim petition preferred by brother is
maintainable? Held- yes
1987 ACJ 561(SC), 2005 ACJ 1618 (Guj), 2012 AAC
2965 (Mad)- 2014 ACJ 1454 (Mad), 2015 ACJ 1759
(All) – GSTRC v/s Ramanbhai prabhatbhai – 1987
ACJ 561(SC)) followed.
But see 2014 ACJ 1669 (All)- Chandrawati
v/s Ram Sewak – 2007 ACJ 1279 (SC) – Manjuri
Bera v/s O I Com. relied on.
2 - Widow- remarriage by her- whether claim petition by
her maintainable?- held- yes-whether a widow is
divested of her right to get compensation for the
death of her husband on her remarrying during
pendency of claim petition? Held- no.
9. Negligence:-
1 - Negligence- Apex court observed that HC was not
cognizant of the principle that in road accident
claim, strict principles of proof as required in
criminal case are not attracted- once eye witness who
has taken the claimant to the road accident for
treatment, immediately after the accident has deposed
in favour of claimant, HC was not right in holding
that accident is not proved and claimant is not
entitled for any compensation- SC allowed claim
petition of injured claimant
2011 ACJ 1613 (SC)
2 - Confessional statement made by driver of the offending
vehicle, before the trial court- whether, in such
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29. Driver-Owner:-
1- Two vehicular not driven by owner but the deceased- no
additional premium was paid to cover the risk of other
than the owner of vehicle-Whether IC is liable- held-
no.
2009 ACJ 998 (SC)
2- Act policy- deceased was not the owner of the car- IC
seeks to avoid its liability on the ground that
deceased was driving the car without the consent of
the owner- owner deposed that deceased was driving the
car with his consent- whether IC is liable- held- no-
deceased stepped in to the shoes of the owner
2009 ACJ 2020 (SC), 2011 ACJ 2251 (P&H)
3- Death of the owner of the truck – IC disputed its
liability on the ground that there is “Act policy’ and
risk only TP is covered- sustainable- held- no- it was
proved by the claimant that extra premium was paid and
IC has deliberately not mentioned the nature of policy
in the cover note- IC failed to discharge its burden
and prove that policy was ‘Act policy’ and IC’s
liability was restricted to statutory liability- IC
held liable
2011 ACJ 2275 (SIK)
4- S. 147, 166 - motor accident - owner himself involved
in accident, resulting in his death - he himself was
negligent - accident did not involve any other motor
vehicle - liability of Insurance Company - claim
32. Permit:-
1- IC seeks to avoid its liability on the ground that
offending vehicle was being plied without permit- duty
of IC to verify the fact that permit of vehicle was
valid or not at the time of insuring the vehicle- IC
having insured the vehicle without valid permit cannot
seek exemption from liability
2011 ACJ 1683 (UTK)
2- Permit- IC seeks to avoid its liability on the ground
that owner of ‘Taxi’, which hit the pedestrians had
violated terms of policy as ‘taxi’ could not have been
used in a public place after expiry of permit- policy
was found to be valid- no case of IC that passengers
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45A. Stationary Vehicle:-
1- It is the case of the IC that truck was standing and
at that point, jeep dashed in the rear portion of the
Truck and therefore, it is not liable- whether
sustainable?- Held- No- Even if it is presumed that
truck was stationary, IC of truck is liable as driver
of the truck is held negligent to the extent of 25%-
various SC judgments followed.
2012 ACJ 1390 (Raj) also see 2013 ACJ 1646 also
see 2013 ACJ 2295 (Kar) also see 2013 ACJ 2399
(P&H), 2013 ACJ 2785 (P&H)- See also Section 122
of the M.V. Act., 1986 ACJ 1070 (Guj), 2014 ACJ
1476
2- Parked vehicle in the middle of the road- Stationary
vehicle.
2014 ACJ 1216
3- Stationary vehicle- parked in the middle of the road
without headlights or indication light – deceased died
as he dashed on the rear portion of the said
stationary vehicle- whether IC of said vehicle can
avoid its liability ? Held- No.
2013 ACJ 56 (Del), 2013 ACJ 1960 (AP), 2013 ACJ
2781 (P&H), 1986 ACJ 1070 (Guj)
46. Tractor-Trolley:-
1- Tractor-trailer- Tractor-trolley- worker sustained
injuries- IC seeks to avoid its liability on the
ground that policy does not cover risk of owner and
labourers- whether sustainable- Held- No- Section 2
(44) and 2 (46) indicates that when trailer is
attached to tractor, it becomes goods vehicle and
therefore, IC is liable.
2012 ACJ 1408 (Kar), 2012 ACJ 2737 (All) SC
judgements followed. But also see 2013 ACJ 1496
wherein it is held that Tractor and Trolley are
two separate vehicles and if Trolley attached
with tractor is not insured and deceased was
travelling in the Trolley attached with tractor,
Insurance Company is not liable.
M.V. Act- Section 61, 146, 147- Tractor-
trolley- It is no doubt true that trolley is
required separate registration for commercial
use/purpose u/s 61 but as per Section 146, it
does not provide for separate insurance of
trolley. Once trolley is attached to the tractor,
it becomes one vehicle- IC of tractor is held
liable to pay compensation. - 2014 ACJ 1727 (All)
– UII v/s Suman (Rakesh Tiwari and Anil Kumar
Sharma JJ), 2015 ACJ 1078 (Chh), 2015 ACJ
1037(Del)
but also see 2014 ACJ 1583 (P&H) – NII Com
v/s Sohan lal.
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50. Third Party:-
1- Deceased boarded in wrong rout bus- asked conductor to
stop the bus- before the bus was stopped he jumped
from the bus and died- whether such person can be said
to be T.P? - Held- Yes-
212 AAC 2584 (Del)
2- Pedestrian hit by truck which had 'Act Policy'- TP
risk- tribunal directed IC to pay only 1.5 lac and
remaining amount of compensation was directed to be
paid by owner-driver- Whether sustainable?- Held- No.
-Since, higher premium had been paid for 'liability to
public risk i.e. third part- Though it was 'Act
Policy', IC is held liable to pay amount of
compensation.
2012 ACJ 2667- SC Judgments followed.
3- Mini bus hit pedestrian- Tribunal held that same was
insured as goods vehicle and exonerated IC- Whether
order is sustainable?- Held- No.- As claimant was TP
for the minibus and it does not make any difference if
the the vehicle was goods vehicle or passenger
vehicle.
2013 ACJ 1956 (All)
4- Deceased a TP- comprehensive policy- liability of IC-
after new act liability of IC is unlimited towards TP
2011 ACJ 1860 (RAJ)
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