Karnataka High Court
The Divisional Controller vs B. Prakash S/O Shekarappa on 19 August, 2011
Author: B.Sreenivase Gowda
Bench: B.Sreenivase Gowda
0 ii = A.,[&_)abali,HAdVocate) IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA~~---- f" " CIRCUIT BENCH AT DHARWAD A Dated this the 19th day of~Augus;'th2i0"1:.1,7 Before» THE HON'BLE MR.JUsTIi:§"B,SREEMVAS-E Miscellaneous First Appeal ,NosI_23'070, 2307l.,723072, 23073, 23074, 2307__5";«.23076, 230.77 23078, 23079, 23080, 23081, 23082, 230841",,23_l6.5, 23166, 23167, 24 500 ,..u23'.CL8_'3;i/.24Q_l;Q;l1\/L'Vfl'* BETWEEN_:,. 2 * 1 The DiV_i,sionVali"C*o;ntro.ller,' ' , NEKRTC, §)ivi_siQ,n, Bellary, Now by the Managing D,iArV€~Cto'r, NEKRTC, Central'Qffioe,s',"Sarige Sadana, Gulbarga; a.Represent.edV,l_j'y it's Chief Law O"ffiCer.v" ' ...Appellant ' (Common in all Appeals) 1'\1 . ". l. "B.Pr_al<as'h, S/o Shekarappa Age:i27 years, Occ: Merchant, ,,R/o'l\/lariyammanahalli, i'l'aluk: Hospet, Dist: Bellary. 3. Navaz Patel, S/o Rasheed Patel, Age: 30 years, Muslim, Driver of NEKRTC Bus Bearing no. KA--34/4233, m' l. Manjuriath, S/o Late Venkateshi, Age: 26 years, Occ: Driver, R/o Sonia Gandhi Nagar, Rarnnagar, Hagaribommanahalli Taluk, Bellary District--PIN: 583212. 2. Navaz Patel, S/o Rasheed Patel, __ Age: 30 years, Muslim, _ Driver of NEKRTC Bus ' Beafingiul KA:34/4233,";j R/o House No.1 ll/8, Kurm.uri"ta,"'--»..L Sedam Taluk, Gulb__arga DisVtri"c.t_ PIN-585222. 3. S.Vijayakurr41ai'v__ _ _ ' S/o S.P. P_rasi;§1cl' Rab', IX:/lajorl,' Owner of't'l1.e'buZ;s be_a_r_i'1--i.g Regri. No. KA=34/4233f_ " l_*(Aj** 'g' R / Q. 11 ga_vat'lf£:i ; . "l"alu«l.<: Garzgavathi, District _Kio?p--palV.3v.F?lN_--}*3 83227. 4. The Diyilsiorial Manager; V' Oriental-..lnsura_nce Co; Ltd., Parvathi Nagar; Main Road, V_B3?:llaLry PlN--583.],..Gl . ...Respor1der1ts I i (In MFA NO. 23073/2010) "l V B.l\/larmoddar, Advocate for R4) l. Hu.cl1'aringiyamma, .. _W/o*'Kuribasappa, _ Age: 29 years, Occ: Agricultural Coolie, _ "R/o M.P.P. Nagara, HuVir1ahaolagaliTalul<, Bellary District. PlN~5832l9. at A 1.4 Rasheed Patel, l"f_\_gel':"30,_ye.ar's, Muslim, . S.Vijayakurnar :10: Driver of NEKRTC Bus Bearing no. KA-34/4233, R/o House No.11/8, Kurrnunta, Sedam Taluk, Gulbarga District PIN--585222. S/o SP. Prasad Rao, Major, ._ Owner of the bus bearing Regn, No; ~ KA--34/4233, _ R /0 Gangavathi, Taluk: 'G_a"n.gavathi, . District Koppal. PIN--58322'7._.& 1' . The Divisional Mariager, Oriental Insurance 'Co, -- Ltd . } Parvathi Nagar, Main Royadgl ._ Bellary. PlN--5'8_310:1f.llll' .1 7 ~,.l§.Respondents
1 "(1n"-l\'xIF.A= No. 23080 /2010) (By Sri. /gdyocate for R4) . Dex/l'a_l{&tW',' agad, Age: 29 years, 04cc; Agricultural Coolie, R/o Huiligi 'Lam_ba~ner.>Oni, ltnal Road, Kgolpplal Tal"ul< 18: Dist, Now presently oi: Kappagal 'Re-ad, Bellary. 1' 1 yDriverlo~f'._N"EKRTC Bus Beaitling ho. KA-34/4233, R/'o_House No.11/8, Kurmunta, * .=S4edalm Taluk, Gulbarga District . _Pi_N-585222.
S.\/ijayakumar :12: Orientai Insurance Co. Ltd., Parvathi Nagar, Main Road, Bellary. PIN~583101. ...Resp,QndVer1'ts (In MFA No. 23.2082/';?fQ:'1--O__)_:" _ (By Sri. Laxman B.Manr1oddar, A<»;1»V\/Docate'fO'I'~i§4\)--._,,,: u 'V
1. Minor Lakshmi D/0 Nagamma, , ..= Age: 16 years, Occ: Agricu1turaI,Co.<_:»1ie, Represented by Natural '5}u--ardiar'1.by , A C.Nagamma, D/o Sangaba-gamma, ._ ' Age: Major, R/o Kadlaba, _ Hagaribommanaha1ii._Taltik, " 1, Bellary District. Pin';-58.32., ; " A
2. Navaz Patel, .3,/o Ra'sh'e~ed Pa.:j*e1, ; ., Age: 30 yeaf'Sg.,_MusI1,im, " 'V ' Driver .
Bearing no; "P;,'_A--34»,/'4'Q':33',"* , R / o_ .Ho;1'se_ "Na: ,1 ,1 / 8, .Kurrnu,r1tva, Sedam T'a!u.k, Gulbarga Di-strict P1N':;58--5222.'~'ff-._' ' M
3. S.Vijay"a.kuma'1'.S/Q" s,IP. Prasad Rao, Major, O'Wr1e'r01f the bus bearing No. KA':-3.4./4:-233, ' ., 'R/ o:*uGar1g«avathi, Talukz Gangavathi, ' . "Disujicr.jK5ppa1. PIN--583227.
4. The D1'v5'$iQ'na1 Manager, "©rie_11ta.1«insurance Co. Ltd., V, Parvaithi Nagar, Main Road, .. _Be11'ary. PIN-583101. ...Respor1dents (In MFA No. 23084/2010) Sri. Laxman B.Mar1r1oddar, Advocate for R4) :14: Bearing no. KA~34/4233, R/o House No.11/8, Kurrnunta, Sedarn Taluk, Gulbarga District PIN--585222.
3. S.\/ijayakumar S/o S.P.- Prasad Rao, Major, --_ Owner of the bus bearing Regn. No, j. 4' KA-34/4233, A' R /o Gangavathi, Taluk: Gangavathii', District Koppal. PiN--58322_7*;~~.., 1
4. The Divisional Manager, _ Oriental Insurance L'.:d.,; i. Parvathi Nagar, Main Rioadf' _ . _ Bellary. PIN-5_831O].;- , ' , 1 .'i..Respondents 5' i -..,('1'ii,jMFA§'No. 23166/2010) (By Sri. LarkmajnV.B§Mann'Qc1'd.aij, iAdtvocate for R4)
1. B.K--, BasavariajvS/»o*Kavp_padh Mallappa, Age :1' -32 «years, ' P_1?es's.. __Reporter of Veerak--an"nadi'gai=a Sirn ha and Agricultifirist, R'-/o"vPirijar Hegdal, ,H;,B.iia11i'T'aii.i,k, Bellary District. 1 S/o Rasheed Patel, Muslim,
- A 'o.i~iv'ei~f_o£ NEKRTC Bus ».E§ear,ingiDt--1o. KA--34/4233, R//zo'House No.1 1/8, Kurmunta, Sedarh 'Taluk, Gulbarga District ' 'i>1N--585222.
SiVijayakumar S/o SP. Prasad Rao, Major, 3:' :16: Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd., Parvathi Nagar, Main Road, Bellary. PIN~583lO1. ...Respon'de:'n.ts'r-- _ (In MFA No. (By Sri. Laxman B.Mannoddar, Advocatefo.rA'_:I?.{l):VI.i.:'
1. . S . Vij ayaku r_mai'- V' ' Lakshrnarnma W/o Shekarappa, I I Age: 54 years, Spice Merchant}-I I R/o Mariyarnmanahalli, _ i ._ '; Hospet Taluk, Bellary Diistrict. Pin":
. Navaz Patel, S /o RasheedVAP--ate'l, Age: 30 years, Muslifn, _ Driver of NEKRTC Bus"
Bearing no. KA--34/A4.2_33,, ' . I R/o House No.-l._lo/3, Ku'r.niun.ta,_ Sedam Ta?_ul<§>G_ulbargali(District P1N--585222. S/o S.P.--,Pras'ad Rao, i'IV1'a3'or"I, I OW1'l'€'l"'OI::ffiI;1€ bias b'e.a"r-ing Regn. N o.
KAiv«:34/4235, _ I R / oV"GangaVat'hie«,. T'aluk,;l Gangavathi, District Koppal.'"PlN--'583227. . rhea D.ivisio'11.a_liManager, Insurance Co. Ltd., A 'v._.Par3/atilipllagar, Main Road, V oBe.ll:a1jyi.- I"~'Io_I.\I"----_..'583 10 1. ...Respondents (In MFA No. 23083/2010) I . (B5/I'Sri';--iiloaknlan B.Mannoddar, Advocate for R4) I ii°~..(These miscellaneous first appeals are filed under I *Sie'cti'on 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. 6/ :20: compensation of Rs.l,63,440/- with interest at the zfate of 6% from the date of petition till the date of deposit..._"=.t_'_'~.._ MFA No.23083/2010 is against the award dated 19.01.2010 passed in iyivpc No'."i'1".2.f/'_Vv,/2"c)iO6_ on the file of the MACT--XI, at Bellaryj, u'.0paw_ar.ding,__ithe compensation of Rs.6,000/-- with inte_re's_t at from the date of petition till its 'rvealpisatiion. ' "
These appeals coi1i'i.ng orders day, the Court delivered the following': is V These {appeals i'\'orthV-'East Karnataka Road (referred to as 'Corporation' for Transport C_or'p._or_ati.on-- , short) chal..l_enging._ and award passed by the Tribu1;1a'l1..bot.h"»the "ground of liability as well as q'L1ar_.1turn.:« _ T' Asialltthese appeals are arising out of one and the "same road traffic accident and out of the same jddgment ii"hAu.t_b_dfifferent awards except in l\/l.F.A. No.24500/2010, with consent of learned counsel appearing for the parties; 85 :21: they are heard together and disposed of finally by this Common judgment.
4. For the sake of convenience, parties are referred to V' as they are referred to in the Tribunal. i i T l
5. Learned counsel forlithie_2appellant-Cloirporation submits that these claimants sustained injuries in a occurred while travelling in owner in favour of and in view of the judgment of the case of Uttar Pradesh State Roddy lTran}~:_vor:t corpolration Vs. Kulsum and Others V reported in CD3. SC 696 holding that in case of lease §§f*Aajllpriva,tCji:bus by its registered owner in favour of the Corporation.__th2e°"insurer of the private bus is liable to pay
-- comlp'enslatioh to the claimants, who are third party to the appellant may be exonerated from liability and
-- thelsame be fastened on the insurer of private bus and in %' :23: each case separately and found that compensation awarded by the Tribunal considering the V' nature of injuries sustained by"lthie'claimants,_ not require interference.
8. Accordingly, the The impugned judgments Tribunal are' modified. from liability to pay the liability to pay compen_sat_i.ori'1 'insurer of the private bus, W:l1_l'Cl"1 compensation together with interestll as awarded by the Tribunal within two j_mon't'h.s the"da_.t_e.«of receipt of copy of this judgment. appellant as well as insurer of the private _ busifare..j_"dire'lcted to inform the claimants that they are _entitled"'to recover the compensation awarded by the tribunal from the insurer of Bus. 35'
10. If there is any breach of condition of in respect of the bus in question, the insureriioif bus is at liberty to recover the co;rriiperisat-ion'arno_usnt"froiin the owner of the bus by initiatingV4a_pp.ropriat_eApro'ceec1ir1gs.p against him.
Amount deposited--..iby_ in these appeals is ordered to be_:'refun:cled'.*t:o Amount other than the by the appellant-
COFP0F8_IT1.On_"be:foré*I:.;t1T1e..:Ei%eAct1't:ing.ibourt in View of warrant obtained' and withdrawn by them, is ordered toubeii p.aio._by._tii.e'..'i'insurer of the private bus to the
-- , ' ap pVe}5'r.;ar1t¥ Co rp oAr'ati__Qn to costs.
Sd/-
JUDGE " _ Krns».