Uttarakhand High Court
United India Insurance Company Ltd vs Smt. Kavita Sharma And Four Others on 7 October, 2024
Author: Alok Kumar Verma
Bench: Alok Kumar Verma
2024:UHC:7445
HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL
THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ALOK KUMAR VERMA
7TH OCTOBER, 2024
APPEAL FROM ORDER NO.95 OF 2012
United India Insurance Company Ltd. ......Appellant
Versus
Smt. Kavita Sharma and four Others
...Respondents
Counsel for the Appellant : Mr. K.K. Shah, Advocate.
Counsel for the Respondents - : Mr. Ajay Singh Bisht,
Claimants Advocate.
Hon'ble Alok Kumar Verma,J.
The present Appeal under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 has been filed by the insurer against the Award dated 22.11.2011, passed by learned Motor Accident Claims Tribunal/ District Judge, Almora in Motor Accident Claim Petition No.25 of 2009, "Smt. Kavita Sharma and three Others vs. Shri Basant Ballabh and Another", by which, the learned Tribunal has awarded a total sum of Rs.6,35,000/- as compensation with 6% interest from the date of the petition till its actual realization.
2. The facts relevant for consideration of this appeal is as follows:-
Bhuwan Chandra Sharma, aged about 37 1 2024:UHC:7445 years, was going from Almora to Someshwar on 12.04.2009 on his brother's motorcycle bearing Registration No.UK01-8195. He had a valid driving license. While saving a cow near Kaprad Band, the said motorcycle met with an accident at around 01:25 p.m. He suffered serious injuries in the said accident. He died while being taken to Almora Hospital in 108 Ambulance. The First Information Report was lodged at police station Someshwar, District Almora. The post-mortem examination of the deceased's dead body was conducted in the Government Hospital, Almora. The deceased was healthy and fit. He used to sell vegetables and fruits on LRS Road in Almora. He used to earn around Rs.7,000/- per month. The said motorcycle was insured with the appellant. The deceased was only earning member in the family. The claim petition was filed by the wife, two minor daughters and one minor son of the deceased.
3. The written statements were filed before the Tribunal.
4. The Insurance Company, the appellant, has 2 2024:UHC:7445 conceded that the said motorcycle was insured with it at the time of the accident.
5. The issues were framed by the Tribunal.
6. The claimant - Smt. Kavita Sharma (PW1) and Sanjay Kumar Joshi (PW2), an eye-witness of the accident, are examined. The FIR was lodged by Sanjay Kumar Joshi (PW2). Basant Ballabh (DW1), the respondent no.5 - opposite party no.1, the brother of the deceased and the registered owner of the said motorcycle, has examined himself before the Tribunal. Hem Chandra Suyal, the Surveyor of the appellant (DW2) and Ramesh Chandra Pant, the Branch Manager of the appellant, (DW3) have been examined on behalf of the appellant - Insurance Company.
7. The Tribunal has awarded the compensation on the heads as follows:-
Serial Details Amount Numbers
1. Loss of annual income by Rs.4,000/- X 12 applying "Notional = Rs.48,000/-. Income" at the rate of Rs.4,000/- per month.
2. 1/5th deduction as per Rs.48,000/- -
personal and living Rs. 9,600/- = expenses of the deceased. Rs. 38,400/-. 3
2024:UHC:7445 3. Multiplier. 16
4. Total amount of loss of Rs.38,400/- X dependency. 16 = Rs.6,14,400/-.
5. Funeral expenses. Rs.5,000/-.
6. Loss of Estate. Rs.5,000/-.
7. Loss of Consortium. Rs.10,000/-.
8. Total compensation Rs.6,34,400/-, in column nos. 4+5+6+7. round figure Rs.6,35,000/-.
8. The Tribunal has also awarded 6% per annum interest on the said compensation amount from the date of filing of the petition till its actual payment.
9. Heard Mr. K.K. Shah, learned counsel for the appellant and Mr. Ajay Singh Bisht, learned counsel for the respondents - claimants.
10. Relying upon the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, in the case of "National Insurance Company Limited vs. Ashalata Bhowmik, (2018) 9 SCC 801", it is submitted by Mr. K.K. Shah, Advocate that the parties shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the contract of insurance. As per the contract, in case of personal accident, the owner is entitled to a sum of Rs. 1 Lakh only. Therefore, at the 4 2024:UHC:7445 most, the claimants may be entitled to Rs.1 Lakh only, the deceased being in the shoes of the owner.
11. On the other hand, Mr. Ajay Singh Bisht, Advocate, for the respondents - claimants, has supported the impugned Award.
12. It is specifically held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in National Insurance Company Limited vs. Ashalata Bhowmik (supra) that the parties shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the contract of insurance.
13. As per the contract of insurance, in case of personal accident, the owner of the vehicle is entitled to a sum of Rs.1 Lakh. Therefore, the claimants shall be entitled to Rs. 1 Lakh (One Lakh) only as per the terms of the contract of insurance.
14. Since the accident is of the year, 2009, the 6% interest awarded by the Tribunal is on the lower side. Therefore, I award the rate of interest at 9% per annum from the date of the petition till its actual payment instead of 6% awarded by the Tribunal.
15. In view of the above, the present Appeal is partly allowed to the aforesaid extent and it is held that the claimants shall be entitled to a sum of Rs. 1 Lakh 5 2024:UHC:7445 (One Lakh) only with interest at the rate of 9% per annum from the date of claim petition till its payment.
16. The amount deposited by the appellant shall be released as above in favour of the respondents - claimants as per their respective shares and without asking for any security/ surety from them. The statutory amount i.e. Rs.25,000/-, deposited by the appellant, is remitted to the Tribunal.
___________________ ALOK KUMAR VERMA, J.
Dt:07.10.2024 Pant/ Digitally signed by PANKAJ KUMAR PANT PANKAJ DN: c=IN, o=HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND, ou=HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND, 2.5.4.20=9bb5448b4a92c65bab85a1384e98c8e239622 96e78d4821a6ec01b408aa193c8, postalCode=263001, KUMAR PANT st=UTTARAKHAND, serialNumber=4FA443614ABEBC1A2C417A645E31B2B 4B9D897811D160D334C31AA4BA6D48D32, cn=PANKAJ KUMAR PANT Date: 2024.10.07 19:06:46 +05'30' 6