INDRA DEVI Vs. BAGADA RAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is the claimants appeal from a motor accident claim case.

(2.) On March 31, 1999, one Ramniwas while going on a motorcycle dashed against the rear side of a truck that was headed in the same direction as the motorcycle. Ramniwas died in the accident. His heirs and legal representatives, the appellants before this Court, moved the MACT, Sojat, Branch Jaitaran, District Pali in MACT Case No. 59 of 1999 against the owner of the truck and its insurer, the New India Assurance Company Ltd. for compensation in terms of Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. In course of the proceedings, the appellants claimed no fault compensation under Section 140 of the Motor Vehicles Act which was granted to them by the Tribunal and the compensation amount was duly paid by the insurance company. In the main proceeding, however, the Tribunal came to find and hold that insofar as the accident is concerned there was no lapse on the part of the driver of the truck nor was it due to any mechanical fault in the truck. The accident was caused due to the careless and negligent driving of the deceased himself. On that finding, the Tribunal naturally rejected the claim of compensation on the principle of fault. But it did not stop there and went on to hold that the insurance company was entitled to the refund of the amount of no fault compensation along with interest @ 9% p.a. In the operative portion of the judgment, the tribunal ordered as follows:

(3.) The claimants took the matter to the High Court in appeal (Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No. 323 of 2002). The High Court dismissed the appeal by judgment and order dated August 20, 2002. The High Court agreed with the Tribunals finding that the deceased alone was responsible for the accident and hence, the claimants were not entitled to any compensation. Unfortunately, the High Court did not address the issue of no fault compensation and overlooked the direction of the Tribunal for refund of the amount of interim compensation alongwith interest @ 9% p.a.