File motor accident claims within a month, orders Telangana High Court

Hyderabad: In view of the piling up of pending cases in large quantities related to paying of compensation in motor accident cases, the TS High Court considered the issue as a priority and has taken up the case suo moto.

In order to reduce the period of pendency of claim cases and quicken the process of determination of compensation by making it mandatory for registration of a motor accident claims within one month of receipt of First Inform-ation of accident without the claimants having to file a claim petition, the Union government had in 1994 inserted subsection 6 of section 158 and subsection 4 of section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

As the High Court observed that the prime purpose of these provisions was not satisfied in conformity with the avowed object sought to be achieved by the insertion of those provisions, the PIL committee of the Telangana High Court considered the issue and wants to give appropriate directions to the concerned authorities.

By believing that police and other competent authorities were not acting in accordance with the said provisions, which resulted in infraction of the eligibility of the victims’ fundamental rights, the PIL committee referred the issue to the Chief Justice to pass appropriate orders.

The Chief Justice directed the High Court Registry to consider it as a taken up PIL and directed to make the Union ministry of surface transport, state home, law and transport departments, DGP as respondents in the case.