Madras High Court
The Divisional Manager vs Sivasankar on 24 August, 2021
CMA No.2457 of 2016
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 24.08.2021
CORAM:
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ABDUL QUDDHOSE
CMA No.2457 of 2016
and
CMP No. 17249 of 2016
The Divisional Manager,
The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.,
Divisional Office, Vasavi Building,
No.106, Big Street,
Tiruvannamalai. ...Appellant
versus
1. Sivasankar,
2. J. Peer Mohamed ... Respondents
Civil Miscellaneous Appeal filed under Section 173 of the Motor
Vehicles Act against the judgment and decree dated 22.12.2011 made in
MCOP No.547 of 2007 on the file of the Motor Accidents Claims
Tribunal (Sub Court), Tirupattur, Vellore District.
For Appellant : Mr.S. Manohar
For Respondents : R1 - Served - No appearance
Mr.S.Palanivelayutham for R2
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
JUDGMENT
(Heard Video Conference)
This appeal has been filed by the Insurance Company challenging
the award dated 22.12.2011 passed by the Motor Accidents Claims
Tribunal, Sub Court, Tirupattur, Vellore District in MCOP No.547 of
2007.
2. In this appeal, the appellant / Insurance Company has
challenged the impugned award questioning its liability to pay the
compensation as according to them despite a categorical finding given by
the Tribunal that the injured victim was a gratuitous passenger in the
insured Tractor, the Tribunal has erroneously granted pay and recover
rights in favour of the claimant against the appellant / Insurance
Company.
3. Heard Mr.S. Manohar, learned counsel for the appellant /
Insurance Company.
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
4. This Court has perused and examined the impugned award
before the Tribunal.
5. The learned counsel for the appellant drew the attention of this
Court to the findings of the Tribunal found in para 8 of the impugned
award and would submit that despite the Tribunal having found that the
first respondent / claimant was travelling in the insured Tractor
Registration bearing No.TN-74- F-1177 as an unauthorised passenger has
erroneously held the Insurance Company liable to pay the compensation
on pay and recovery basis.
6. Under Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act, the appellant
Insurance Company is not statutorily liable to compensate, in case of a
gratuitous passenger. The said proposition is well settled by various
decisions of this Court as well as the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The
Tribunal under the impugned award as rightly pointed out by the learned
counsel for the appellant in paragraph 8 has given a categorical finding
that the injured claimant was travelling in the insured Tractor as a
gratuitous passenger.
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
7. The relevant finding in paragraph 8 of the impugned award are
as follows :-
“ k/rh/M1y; kDjhuh; ouhf;l;lhpy; ntiyahsuhf Vwpr;
brd;w nghJ tpgj;J Vw;gl;ljhf Fwpg;gpl;Lr;brhy;yg;gltpy;iy/
k/rh/1 rptr';fh; jd;Dila tha;bkhHpr; rhl;rpaj;jpy; tpgj;J
ele;j nghJ nk!;jphp ntiyr; bra;J khjk; U:/6.000-=
rk;ghjpj;J te;jjhfr; Fwpg;gpl;Lr; brhy;ypa[s;shh;/ k/rh/rptr';fh;
jd;Dila tha;bkhHpr; rhl;rpaj;jpy; tpgj;J ele;j nghJ
tpgj;jpw;Fs;shd ouhf;l;lhpy; Typ Mshf Vwpr; brd;wnghJ
tpgj;J Vw;gl;ljhf Fwpg;gpl;Lr; brhy;yg;gltpy;iy/ nkny
brhd;d r';fjpfisg; ghprPypj;Jg; ghh;f;Fk; gl;rj;jpy; kDjhuh;
rptr';fh; vd;gij tha;bkhHpr; rhl;rpak; kw;Wk; Mtzr;
rhl;rpak; K:yk; epUgzk; bra;ag;gl;tpy;iy/ nkYk; ouhf;lhpd;
chpikahsiu tprhhpj;J ouhf;lhpy; kDjhuh; rptr';fh; tpgj;J
nkny brhd;d r';fjpfis xU';fpize;Jg; ghprPypj;Jg; ghh;f;Fk;
gl;rj;jpy; kDjhuh; jug;gpy; kDjhuh; tpgj;J ele;j nghJ
Typahshf Vwpr; brd;w nghJ tpgj;J Vw;gl;lJ vd;gij
Mtzr; rhl;rpak; kw;Wk; tha;bkhHpr; rhl;rpak; K:yk; epUgzk;
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
bra;ag;gltpy;iy/ Mifahy; nkny brhd;d r';fjpfis
xU';fpize;Jg; ghprPypj;Jg; ghh;f;Fk; gl;rj;jpy; kDjhuh; jug;gpy;
kDjhuh; tpgj;J ele;j nghJ Typahshf Vwpr; brd;w nghJ
tpgj;J Vw;gl;lJ vd;gij Mtzr; rhl;rpak; kw;Wk;
tha;bkhHpr; rhl;rpak; K:yk; epUgzk; bra;ag;gltpy;iy vd;W
jPh;khdpf;fg;gLfpwJ/ tpgj;jpw;Fs;shd ouhf;lh; 2k; vjph;kDjhuh;
fhg;gPl;L fHfj;jpy; fhg;gPL bra;j nghJ tH';fg;gl;l
fhar;rhd;wpjH; ehy; k/rh/M/3 Mf Fwpaplg;gl;Ls;sJ/ nkny
brhd;d Mtz';fspy; fz;Ls;s gjptz';fisg; ghh;f;Fk;nghJ
ouhf;lh; 2k; vjph;kDjhuh; fhg;gPl;Lf; fHfj;jpy; fhg;gPL
bra;jnghJ xU ntisahSf;F TLjy; gphpkpak; U:/25-=
brYj;jg;gl;ljhf Fwpg;gpl;Lr; brhy;yg;gl;Ls;sJ/ kDjhuh;
jug;gpy; Kd;dpiy gLj;jg;gl;l nkny brhd;d jPhg
; ;gpy;
fz;Ls;s rl;lf;fUj;Jf;fspd; go tpgj;jpw;Fs;shd ouhf;lhpy;
mDkjpf;fg;gl;l eguhf Typ Mshf Vwpr; brd;w nghJ tpgj;J
Vw;gl;Ls;sJ vd;gij epU:gzk; bra;jhy; kl;Lnk me;j egh;
fhg;gPl;Lf; fHfj;jpy; ,Ue;J ,Hg;gPlL
; j; bjhif bgw chpik
cilath; vd;W jPh;t[ fhzg;gl;Ls;sJ/ kDjhuh; rptr';fud;
tpgj;jpw;Fs;shd ouhf;l;lhpy; Typ ntiyahshs Vwpr; brd;w
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
nghJ tpgj;J Vw;gl;Ls;sJ vd;gij epU:gzk; bra;ahj
epiyapy; TLjy; gphpkpak; bjhif TypahSf;F U:25-=
brYj;jg;gl;oUe;J nghJk; fhg;gl
P ;Lf; fHfk; kDjhuUf;F Typ
Ms; vd;w Kiwapy; ,Hg;gPl;Lj; bjhif
bfhLf;ff;flikg;gl;lJ my;y vd;W jPh;t[ fhzg;gLfpwJ/
Mifahy; kDjhuh; tpgj;jpw;Fs;shd ouhf;l;lhpy; Typahs;
Mshf Vwpr; brd;w nghJ tpgj;J Vw;gl;Ls;sJ vd;W kDjhuh;
jug;gpy; Mtzr; rhl;rpa';fs; kw;Wk; tha;bkhHpr;rhl;rpa';fs;
K:yk; epU:gzk; bra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ vd;gij kDjhuh; ouhf;l;lhpy;
mDkjpf;fglhj gazpahf Vwpr; brd;wnghJ tpgj;J
Vw;gl;Ls;sJ vd;W jPh;khdpf;fgLfpwJ/ /”
8. Despite the aforesaid finding, which clearly reveals that the first
respondent / claimant was a gratuitous passenger, the Tribunal has
directed the appellant / Insurance Company to pay the assessed
compensation and thereafter recover from the owner of the Tractor
(insured), which is not in accordance with law. The Insurance Company
is liable to compensate only if the claimant satisfies the conditions for
coverage as laid down under Section 147 of Motor Vehicles Act. In the
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
case on hand, admittedly the first respondent / claimant has not satisfied
the said conditions. Therefore, the impugned award directing the
appellant / Insurance Company to pay the compensation to the
respondent / claimant and thereafter recover the said amount from the
owner of the vehicle (insured) has to be necessarily set aside.
Accordingly, the impugned award dated 22.12.2011 passed by the Motor
Accidents Claims Tribunal, Sub Court, Tirupattur, Vellore District in
MCOP No.547 of 2007 is hereby set aside and the Civil Miscellaneous
Appeal is allowed. However, insofar as the award passed against the
owner of the vehicle is concerned, the same is confirmed. No costs.
Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
9. It is made clear that the appellant / Insurance Company is
permitted to withdraw the amount if any deposited by them before the
Tribunal, after the passing of the impugned award by filing an
appropriate application.
24.08.2021
Index: Yes/No
Internet: Yes/No
Speaking Order/Non-Speaking Order
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
To
1. The Sub Judge,
Motor Accident Claims Tribunal,
Tirupattur,
Vellore District.
2. The Section Officer,
V.R. Section
High Court of Madras, Chennai - 104.
ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J.
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CMA No.2457 of 2016
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/
CMA No.2457 of 2016
24.08.2021
https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/
