New India Assurance Co. Ltd vs Asha Rani & Ors on 17 August, 2001
In Asha Rani's case (supra) the Hon'ble Judges of the Apex Court dealt with the liability of the Insurance Company with reference to goods vehicle and found that the expression 'any person' will not cover either the owner of the goods or authorised representative being carried in the vehicle prior to the amendment Act 1994, even if widest interpretation could be given to the expression "to any person". This conclusion was arrived at only on the basis of the objects and reasons engrafted in the amended provisions. On that basis, it is found that it is difficult for the Court to construe that expression "include owner of the goods or his authorised representative carried in the vehicle" which was added to the pre-existing provision 'injury to any person' is either clarificatory or amplification of the preexisting statute and it clearly demonstrates that the legislature wanted to bring within the sweep of Section 147 and making it compulsory for the insurer to insure even in the case of a goods vehicle, the owner of the goods or his authorised representative being carried in a goods vehicle when that vehicle met with an accident and the owner of the goods or his representative either dies or suffers bodily injury. His Lordship, Mr. Justice S.B. Sinha, who gave separate judgment though concurred with conclusion of the other Hon'ble Judges, held as follows: