Chandigarh tribunal awards Rs 8 lakh compensation in fatal accident case

In a significant ruling, the Motor Accident Compensation Tribunal (MACT) in Chandigarh has ordered an insurance company to pay Rs 8 lakh compensation to a family affected by a fatal accident in Himachal Pradesh. The tribunal held that a claims petition can be filed within the jurisdiction of a court where the insurance firm of the vehicle operates.

Ranjit Sahani, a Bihar resident, filed the claim petition after being injured in an accident on May 30, 2018. Sahani was traveling with Raj Kishore Sahani and other labourers in a tipper that fell into a deep gorge on Amroh Saryani road in Himachal Pradesh. Raj Kishore Sahani died on the spot, while Sahani suffered multiple injuries, including fractures, and permanent disability.

The insurance company contested the petition, arguing that the tribunal lacked territorial jurisdiction since the accident occurred outside Chandigarh and neither the claimant nor the driver resided in Chandigarh. However, the tribunal cited a Supreme Court judgment, stating that a claim petition can be filed where the insurance company operates. As a result of this, the claimant is entitled to receive total amount of compensation in the sum of Rs 7,60,243 along with interest @ 9 per cent per annum from the date of filing the claim petition till its realisation.