AI Structured Summary
Not yet generated for this judgment
Judgment
AR. Lakshmanan, J.—The appeal is directed against the award of the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, Pondicherry in M.A.C.T.O.P, No.
135 of 1992 dated 22-2-1994 wherein a total compensation of Rs. 5,75,000, - together with interest at 12 per cent per annum from 12-3-1993,
the date of filing of the petition till realisation subject to payment of Court-fee, if any.
The respondent No. I is the wife of the deceased Ramanathan and respondents 2 and 3 are the minor daughters represented by their mother
and next friend the first respondent herein.
They filed M.C.O.P. 135 of 1992 claiming a compensation of Rs. 10,00,000/-for the death of the first respondent''s husband in a road accident
that occurred on 6-1-1991 at about 6.45 hours alleging that on the said date while her husband was riding on a scooter PYQ 7471 along
Mahatma Gandhi Road, Pondicherry from South ot north near Ashramam Cement Godown, the bus bearing Registration No. PYT 1155
belonging to the first appellant P. N. Venkatesan and insured with the second appellant came from opposite direction and dashed against the
scooter with the result, he sustained grievous injuries and died.
The appellants filed counter contending inter alia that there was no negligence on the part of the driver of the bus and have attributed the
accident due to the rash and negligent driving of the deceased himself. It was also their contention that in any event the claim of the respondents
was highly excessive, and without any legal basis whatsoever.
The Tribunal came to the conclusion that the accident was only as a result of the rash and negligent driving of the bus by its driver and awarded
compensation of Rs. 5,75.000/- and directed it to be paid by the appellants together with interest at 12 per cent per annum from 12-3-1993. It is,
against this award the appellants have faed the above appeal.
Mr. Ranganathan, learned counsel for the appellants at the time of hearing contended (a) the Tribunal ought to have held that the deceased barf
also contributed to the accident and that (b) the Tribunal has erred in awarding a compensation of Rs. 5,75,000/-, (c) that the Tribunal has erred in
allowing the deduction of Rs. 500/- only from and out of the sum of Rs. 5000/- for the personal ''expenses of the deceased as against one third out
of the total income of Rs. 5000/-, (d) that the Tribunal has erred in computing the annual income of the deceased, (e) that the Tribunal has further
failed to notice that the claimants have not produced any accounts or Sales Tax return of the deceased and that (1) the Tribunal has also erred in
arriving at the compensation of Rs. 15,000/- towards pain and suffering.
Mrs. Pushpasathyanarayanan learned counsel for the respondents-claimants contended that the award of the Tribunal is just and reasonable
and, therefore, no interference is called for at the hands of this Court in this appeal. She further contended that the Tribunal ought to have taken
into account the future prospects in the business of the deceased and also awarded more compensation.
We have gone through the pleadings and also the evidence and considered the arguments advanced by both the parties.
It is not in dispute that the deceased was running a jewellery shop in Pondicherry in the name and style of Sathya Jewellery. He was the sole
earning member of the family and he has left behind him his wife, aged about 32 years and two minor daughters. Tt is contended on behalf of the
claimants that due to his death the said jewellery business has been totally crippled and the claimants have been deprived of any income of the
deceased and that the death of the deceased has subjected the claimants to a great menial shock and agony. Hence, the claim.
The insurer of the offending bus resisted the claim of the claimants stating that the accident was not due to rash and negligent driving of the bus
or by the driver of the bus and that the accident was solely due to the contributory negligence on the part of the deceased. In support of the claim,
the first claimant apart from examining herself as P.W. 1, examined one eye witness as P.W. 2 and filed documents^Exhibits A-l to A-10. None
was examined on the side of the owner of the bus or on the side of the Insurance Company and no documentary evidence was also filed on their
behalf.
It is pertinent to notice that the driver of the bus was also not examined. The Tribunal accepting the evidence of P.W. 2 who is an eye witness
to the occurrence held that the bus was driven by the driver in a rash and negligent manner and hit the cyclist from behind and then the scooterist
and thereafter dashed against the platform nearly and came to a half. Due to which the cyclist and scooterist sustained grievous injuries and both of
them died. Apart from these persons the vehicle also dashed against two other passers-by. In support of the contention, the claimants filed Exhibit
A-2, Ihe copy of the vehicle inspection report. The said report shows that the vehicle has dashed against the vehicle, a scooter and person and
caused injuries and its mechanical condition was satisfactory and brake-efficiency also was normal. From the evidence it is seen that the driver
drove the vehicle at a high speed beyond his control causing the death of two persons. The vehicle even after hitting the cyclist went further and hit
the scooterist and even after that it hit two other passers-by and after hitting the platform nearly it became to a halt. As rightly pointed out by
Tribunal, the driver of the offending hus in careless and reckless and negligent and has undoubtedly caused the death of two persons. We,
therefore, confirm the findings of the Tribunal on issue No. 1 that the accident has occurred only due to the rash and negligent driving of the driver
bus.
We shall now consider, whether the compensation claimed by the respondents-claimants is excessive and if so, the quantum awarded by the
Tribunal is just and proper.
The claimants have claimed consolidated sum of Rs. 10,00,000/- towards compensation. Their case is that the deceased was running a
jewellery shop in Pondicherry and was earning a sum of Rs. 5000 / - per month and he was solely running a jewellery shop in the name of his
daughter Sathya as Sathya Jewellery. He was also running pawnbroker shop in the name of Andal. The deceased left behind him, his wife and two
minor-daughters. Due to his untimely death, the business is totally crippled and the claimants have been deprived of the income earned by the
deceased.
Exhibit A-18 has been filed to show that the deceased was the petitietor of Sathya Jewellery located at No. 63/B2 Bharathi Street,
Pondicherry. Exhibit A-8 is a certificate of registration. Exhibit A-9 (series) (three in number) are Pawn tickets. The said document has been filed
to show that the deceased was running a pawn broker shop under the licence No. 279. He was lending money to various persons on pledge of
their jewellery and was also earning interest. Exhibit A-10 (series) are the challens for payment of Income Tax for the assessment years 1990-91
and 1991-92. It is seen from the two challans the legal representatives of the deceased had paid a sum of Rs. 14,500/ -and Rs. I6.200/- by way
of Income Tax under the self-assessment tax scheme. The tax was paid by the legal representatives for the returns submitted by the deceased
during his life time for the assessment years 1990-91 and 1991-92. As per Exhibit A-11 the Income Tax certificate, the income of the deceased,
per annum was figured as Rs. 54,000/ -. It is contended on behalf of the Insurance company that there is no material to show that the deceased
was earning a sum of Rs. 5000/- per month. We are not able to accept the said contention. It is seen from Exhibit A-9 that the deceased was
running Pawn-broker business and from Exhibit A-R the deceased was running a jewellery since at Dharathi street, PondU cherry under Exhibit
A-l 1 Income Tax certificate the net income of the deceased has been mentioned as Rs. 54,000/ -. Therefore, we can safely conclude that the
deceased would have earned sum of Rs. 5000/- per month. As per Exhibit A-10 a sum of Rs. 14,500/- was paid towards Income Tax. Taking
into account Rs. 5000/- as the monthly income, the net income per annum would be Rs. 60,000/-. Deducting this amount of tax from the total
income, the net income per annum would have been Rs. 45,500/-, out of which the deceased Ramanathan would have spent one third amount for
his personal expenses. The one third amount comes to Rs. 15,165/- and deducting the same from Rs. 45,500/-, the deceased would have
contributed a sum of Rs,30,335/- per annum. In this case the Tribunal has adopted the multiplier of 16 years which in our opinion is just and
proper in the facts and circumstances of the case. By multiplying this sum of Rs. 30,335 x 16, it comes to Rs. 4,85,360/- adding the amount of Rs.
15,000/- awarded towards pain and suffering which is also legally, in our opinion, tenable, the claimant would be entitled to a total compensation
of Rs. 5,00,360/-. The claimant is entitled to receive interest at 12 per cent per annum on this amount from 12-3-1993, namely, the date of filing of
the petition till date of realisation.
As already seen learned counsel for the appellant contended that the findings of the Tribunal in allowing a deduction of Rs. 500/- (Rupees five
hundered only) for his personal expenses as against 1/3rd of the income is erroneous. Since we see force in the contention'' of the learned counsel
for the appellant. We are unable to accept the contention of the learned counsel for the claimants that the deduction of Rs. 500/-per month
towards personal expenses would be jusdt and reasonable, for the simple reasons that the contribution of Rs. 500/-to a family of three persons
would be totally insufficient. Therefore, the deduction of Rs. 500/ - allowed by the Tribunal and arriving at the net income of Rs. 30,500/ - is not
correct and justifiable in the facts and circumstances of the case.
Learned counsel for the claimant would argue that the Tribunal has failed to take into account the future prospects in the business carried on by
the deceased and ought to have increased the compensation. Such an argument was not advanced before the Tribunal, and for the first time it is
raised only before us. Nothing prevented the claimants from filing a cross-objection, claiming enhanced compensation. In the absence of any claim
-- cross-objection, we are unable to countenance the said claim now raised for the first time in this appeal. Learned counsel for the claimants
further appealed that the Tribunal ought to have adopted 18 years multiplier taking into account the age of the deceased who was 39 years on the
date of accident. Here again we arc unable to accept the said contention in the absence of any cross-objection. The Supreme Court in U.P. State
Road Transport Corporation and Others Vs. Trilok Chandra and Others, has held that the situation has now undergone a change with the
enactment of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 as amended Act 15 of 1994 and in view of the change undergone, and of the table provided, the
multiplier varies from 5 to 18 depending on the age group to''which the victim belongs and under the schedule, the maximum multiplier can be only
up to 18. The Surpeme Court has emphasised that the multiplier cannot exceed 18 years for factors. In the accident case, the Tribunal has adopted
the multiplier to be 16 years which in our opinion is just and reasonable, considering the age of the deceased.
The multiplier represents number of years purchase factor on which the loss of dependency is capitalised. In the instant case, loss of
dependency can be fixed at Rs.30,335/- after deducting 1/3rd amount towards personal expenses from and out of Rs.45,500/- If these sums are
invested i.e. Rs. 30,335 multiplied by 16 comes to Rs.4,35,360/- + Rs. 15,000,''- awarded towards pain and suffering i.e. if the total sum of Rs.
5,00,3607- is invested a sum of Rs. 5360/-would be earned by way of interest at 12 per cent per annum. Therefore, considering all the aspects of
the case and of the evidence tendered, we modified the award of the Tribunal and award compensation of Rs. 4,85.360/- towards compensation
and a sum of Rupees 15,000/- towards pain and suffering, in all totalling to Rs. 5,00,360/- together with interest at 12 per cent per annum from the
date of petition that is, 12-3-1993 till date of realisation. It is now represented that the Insurance Company has deposited the entire amount as
awarded by the Tribunal together with interest and costs. The Insurance Company will be entitled to withdraw the excess amount from the deposit
made in the Court below.
In the result, the Civil Miscellaneous Appeal is allowed in part accordingly. No costs.
Appeal partly allowed.