KOLLI LAKSHMI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Civil Miscellaneous Appeal, under Section 23 of the Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987, is directed against the order, dated 31-07-2001, in I.A.No.221 of 1999, on the file of the Railway Claims Tribunal, Secunderabad Bench at Secunderabad (for short, the Tribunal).

(2.) The appellant in the C.M.A. is the petitioner, and the respondent in the C.M.A. is the respondent, before the Tribunal. For better appreciation of facts, the parties hereinafter are referred to, as they are arrayed before the Tribunal.

(3.) The brief facts are that on 07.01.1998, while the husband of the applicant viz., K.Venkateswara Rao, was travelling from Vijiayawada to Guntur by train No.6040, slipped and fell down accidentally from the running train in between Tettu and Kavali railway stations and died on the spot. The applicant filed the above I.A., stating that due to the ignorance of the fact that she is entitled for compensation, could not file the claim petition within the prescribed time and hence, she filed the claim petition with a delay of 344 days.