P RENUKADEVI Vs. SHANTHAPPA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THESE two appeals are directed against the common judgment and award dated 26-7-1991 in mvc No. 365 of 1989 and mvc No. 366 of 1989 passed by the district judge and motor accidents claims tribunal, chickmagalur, whereby the claims of the husband and wife, who both suffered injuries in a common road accident, were allowed in part.

(2.) WE heard the learned counsel for the appellants Sri k. g. sadashivaiah and Sri n. s. rajanna for the respondent 2. We have also perused the case records including the records of the district judge and motor accidents claims tribunal, chickmagalur, in brief referred to herebelow as 'mact' for convenience.

(3.) WHEN these two appeals were argued by the learned counsel for the appellants Sri kg. Sadashivaiah, an important question arose in the midst as to whether it is permissible for the claims tribunal to award a sum beyond a limit of Rs. 15,000/- under the head "medical expenses" as set out in second schedule of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as 'the act') and it is for that reason we thought it proper to direct the learned central government standing counsel to take notice of these two appeals and to render assistance to court to decide that issue. Accordingly, we passed a judicial order thereto on 30-5-1997. In response thereto, Sri ash ok haranahalli, the learned central government standing counsel had also appeared in the appeals and assisted the court. We want to deal with that issue at the threshold before proceeding further in the instant appeals.