Motor Vehicles Act, 1939

The Supreme Court examined the constitutionality of the Tamil Nadu Stage Carriages and Contract Carriages (Acquisition) Act, 1973, which sought to nationalise stage and contract carriage services and their assets. Operators challenged the Act as violative of Articles 14, 19 and 31, alleging it was confiscatory and lack…

A 39‑year‑old government engineer died in a motor accident, and his wife and three children filed a claim petition under Section 11 OA of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 2,61,800 as compensation, which the High Court enhanced to Rs. 4,70,000 by applying a multiplier of 16 an…

The Supreme Court examined the status of the Saharanpur‑Shahdara‑Delhi route nationalised under a 1959 draft scheme of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which had been approved on 29 September 1959. After a long delay, a fresh draft scheme was issued in 1986, but the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force in 1989. The Co…

The State of Karnataka and Regional Transport Officers appealed against the Karnataka High Court’s decision striking down sub‑rule (2) of Rule 5 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1963, which required a two‑year experience of driving a medium motor vehicle before granting a licence to drive a heavy motor vehicle. T…

The appellants were granted temporary stage‑carriage permits on 10 January 1980 under section 68F(1C) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, nine years after a scheme had been published under section 68C. The State Transport Appellate Tribunal and the Allahabad High Court set aside those permits, holding that they were depen…

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (K.S.R.T. Corp.) appealed against a Karnataka High Court order that dismissed its writ appeal challenging the rejection of an application to increase the number of trips on an inter‑state stage‑carriage permit. The issue centered on whether Section 57(8) of the Motor Vehic…

Sabir Hussain and another appealed against the State of U.P. challenging the validity of a scheme approved under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 on the ground that the scheme failed to specify the number of services. The question before the Supreme Court was whether such an omission would render the approved scheme invali…

A motor accident in 2010 caused the death of a motorcyclist, leading the victim's dependents to claim compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation but held that the insurer, IFFCO Tokio, was not liable because the driver of the insured Tempo vehicle possessed …

Basant Roadways filed a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court challenging an interim order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The Supreme Court held that, as the petition was against an interim order, it would not interfere with the High Court's decision and dismissed the petition. While doing so, the Court ex…

The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) was sued by passengers who lost limbs in a bus accident. The corporation argued that a sudden failure of the bus lights caused the crash and sought to avoid liability, also contesting the quantum of compensation awarded by the Accidents Claims Tribunal. The Supreme…

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) prepared a draft scheme on 13‑Feb‑1986 to nationalise 39 bus routes under Section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. After objections were filed, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force and the competent authority declared the scheme to have lapsed und…

The appellants, Praveen Ansari and others, applied for temporary permits to ply passenger vehicles on an inter‑regional route under section 68‑F(1‑C) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The State Transport Authority granted three temporary permits to the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, which had applied fo…

The appellants were granted stage‑carriage permits by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Bikaner, to ply buses on a Sangaria‑Delhi inter‑state route. The Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation challenged the permits, arguing that the route was covered by a reciprocal transport agreement between Rajasthan and Haryana…

In 1966 a collision between a car and a goods truck caused the death of the car driver and injuries to a passenger. The heirs of the deceased and the injured passenger claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal dismissed the claims, but the Gujarat High Court awarded Rs…

Ajay Canu, a student with a two-wheeler licence, challenged a Hyderabad police notification and Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rule 498-A that made wearing crash helmets compulsory for motorcycle and scooter riders. He argued that the rule was ultra vires the Motor Vehicles Act because Section 85‑A had not been brought …

The Supreme Court examined whether a Regional Transport Authority or a State Transport Authority could issue temporary All‑India tourist permits under Section 62 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The State of Karnataka had issued 36 regular All‑India tourist permits under Section 63(7) and rejected applications for temp…

The State of Rajasthan appealed the acquittal of Jag Raj Singh (alias Hansa) for possession of opium recovered from a jeep. The Supreme Court examined whether the police complied with the mandatory provisions of Sections 42(1) and 42(2) of the NDPS Act when they acted on secret information and conducted the search. It …

Central Coalfields Ltd. and other mining companies used dumpers and rockers within their lease‑hold areas. The State of Orissa demanded that these machines be registered under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and taxed under the Bihar and Orissa Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1930 (and the Madras Vehicles Taxation Act, 1931)…

The Union of India appealed against the Judicial Commissioner of Goa, Daman and Diu, who had held that dumpers and shovels used solely within the owners' mining premises were outside the scope of the Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1965. The respondents, mining operators, had initially registered these machines as motor v…

The widowed wife and daughter of Captain Rama Kant Dixit, who died in a road accident when his scooter was struck by a truck, filed a claim under Section 110A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 seeking compensation. The Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal reduced the award by 75% on the ground of alleged contributory negligenc…

The petitioner, a railway commuter, filed a writ petition under Article 32 seeking a mandamus directing the Union of India to implement the recommendations of the Kunzru, Wanchoo and Sikri Committee reports, appoint a fact‑finding commission and improve railway safety, invoking Articles 19 and 21. The Union, through a …

National Insurance Company Ltd. issued a motor vehicle insurance policy under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which was in force when the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into effect. A bus insured under this policy met with an accident after the new Act commenced, resulting in a death claim. The insurer argued that the pro…

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (the Corporation) framed a scheme under s.99 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to nationalise the mofussil service in West Godavari district, excluding all private operators on the notified routes and on any routes overlapping them. The scheme contained Exception 2, whi…

The petitioners, owners of stage‑carriage motor vehicles in Punjab, challenged a 1981 amendment that raised the motor‑vehicle tax to Rs 500 per seat (maximum Rs 35,000) alleging it was expropriatory, violated Articles 14, 19(1)(g), 301 and 304(b) of the Constitution and was beyond the State’s legislative competence. Th…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal by United India Insurance Company Ltd, which sought to avoid liability for a motor accident on the ground that the driver’s licence was allegedly fake. The accident involved a vehicle driven by Janu, who presented a licence that appeared genuine; the insurer attempted to prove a dif…

The Supreme Court examined several appeals concerning the liability of insurers under Section 95 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for passengers travelling in goods carriages. The petitioners, owners of goods vehicles and claimants, argued that the insurance policy should cover death or injury of passengers, including o…

The parents of an 18‑year‑old cyclist who died after being struck by a bus owned by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay filed a claim petition under Sections 110‑A and 110‑B of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded compensation using a multiplier of 15, which the High Court u…

The Supreme Court heard appeals by the Chandigarh Administration challenging several directions issued by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a public‑interest litigation concerning air and noise pollution, traffic congestion and road safety. The High Court had treated the recommendations of a High‑Powered Committee a…

A passenger died in a car accident on 9 April 1987. The claimants filed a suit before the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal against the appellant (Dr. T.V. Jose), the driver and the insurer. The appellant asserted that he had transferred ownership of the car before the accident, but the transfer was never recorded in the…

The North Bihar Regional Transport Authority (RTA) advertised for applications to grant stage‑carriage permits on routes that crossed into South Bihar. The petitioner challenged the authority’s power to issue such inter‑regional permits without a prior agreement with the South Bihar RTA, arguing that the Motor Vehicles…

Jagjit Bus Service, a stage carriage operator, applied for renewal of its permit on a Punjab route but was repeatedly granted only temporary permits. The State Transport Commissioner justified this by citing two incomplete schemes under s.68(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, and the absence of a finalized state trans…

The District Magistrate of Mathura declared two plots in the Baldev town area as a bus stand/halting place and the Town Area Committee contracted a private firm to collect fees from bus operators. The appellant, a bus operator, challenged the magistrate's order and the fee levy through a writ petition, which the Allaha…

The petitioners, a group of contract carriage operators, were denied fresh permits under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 because the Karnataka Contract Carriages (Acquisition) Act, 1976 (ss. 14 and 20) barred any new applications and gave a monopoly to the State Transport Undertaking. They challenged the refusals before t…

The Supreme Court examined whether Section 129‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which authorises police or other state‑appointed persons to seize and detain a motor vehicle used without registration or permit, infringes the fundamental right to practice any trade or profession under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constituti…

The deceased Mahendra Shirke had insured his goods truck for Rs 10 lakhs under a comprehensive motor policy that included "unlimited personal injury and property" coverage, for which an additional premium of Rs 134 was paid. After his death in a road accident, his parents sued Oriental Fire and General Insurance Co. fo…

The petitioners, holders of All India Tourist Permits under the Motor Vehicles Acts, challenged the constitutional validity of additional taxes levied by several states on tourist vehicles, arguing that the taxes were neither compensatory nor regulatory and thus violated Articles 19(1)(g) and 301 of the Constitution. T…

The petitioners, contractors and dealers of motor vehicles, purchased vehicles outside Maharashtra and brought them into the state, where they were levied an entry tax under the Maharashtra Tax on Entry of Motor Vehicles into Local Areas Act, 1987. They challenged the tax as unconstitutional, arguing that it exceeded t…

The petitioner, Brij Mohan Parihar, had an agreement with the Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (MPSRTC) to operate his bus as a nominee on a specific route for five years ending in 1982, after which he was allowed to ply on a monthly basis under temporary permits. When the route was later brought under a…

The deceased, a vegetable trader, was traveling in a tractor with a trailer when he fell and died after the vehicle was driven at high speed. His heirs claimed compensation under Section 147(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, arguing that the insurer was liable for the death of the owner of the goods being carried. Th…

The Supreme Court examined an appeal concerning the grant of stage‑carriage permits under Rule 212 of the Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1964. The dispute centered on whether the proviso that an applicant may receive marks for either residential or sector qualification (whichever is more advantageous) infringed A…

The Supreme Court examined whether a 1973 notification that conferred the powers of a Deputy Superintendent of Police under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 on the General Manager of Haryana Roadways was valid. The petitioners, private motor transport operators, argued that the appointment violated their fundamental right …

The appellant, a registered owner of a motor vehicle operating as a stage carriage under a permit, was assessed additional tax under section 8 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957 because on some occasions he carried more passengers than permitted. The High Court upheld the demand, relying on Noorullha Kh…

A Punjab Roadways bus accident on 13 February 1971 caused the death of three persons, including Balbir Singh. The widow and minor children of the deceased filed a claim before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which awarded Rs 93,600 with 6% interest per annum. Both the claimants and the State appealed; the High Cour…

Fourteen schoolchildren drowned during a picnic on the banks of the Beas River after teachers deputed to escort them allowed the children to stray into deep water. The teachers were convicted under Section 304A IPC and the High Court ordered the school to pay Rs.5 lakh compensation to each bereaved parent. On appeal, t…

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation issued a draft scheme to nationalise an intra‑state route, excluding private operators except for those saved by a Note. G.T. Venkataswamy Reddy, who operated an inter‑state stage‑carriage service overlapping the notified route, objected and the draft scheme was appro…

The petitioners, private stage‑carriage operators, sought renewal of authorisations to ply over common sectors of routes that had been nationalised in the 1950s. Although a "practice" had developed allowing such operators to run over these sectors provided they did not pick up or set down passengers, the Uttar Pradesh …

PANDIYAN ROADWAYS CORPORATION LTD, a State Transport Undertaking, had an approved scheme published under s.68‑D of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for the Madurai‑Kumuli route, excluding all private operators except those listed in Annexure II. M.A. EGAPPAN, not listed, obtained two variations of his existing permit to op…

The Supreme Court examined two Uttar Pradesh Government notifications issued under section 43‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 that directed all eligible applicants to be granted stage‑carriage permits without any upper limit and limited the factors transport authorities could consider to only certain clauses of secti…

Certain goods vehicles insured by Oriental Insurance Company were involved in accidents that killed unauthorised or gratuitous passengers. Claims were filed under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held the insurer liable for compensation. The High Court upheld that decision, relying on…

A Tata truck, classified as a goods vehicle, met with an accident near Lungthulien village, leading to two claims before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Tribunal awarded compensation to the claimants, which the insurer, Oriental Insurance Co., contested on the ground that the …

P.C. Gupta applied in 1968 for a stage‑carriage permit on a route covered by Draft Scheme No. 72 of 1965, which had been published under section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 but not yet approved or published as an approved scheme under section 68‑D. The Regional Transport Authority kept his application pending …

The Uttar Pradesh Government approved a draft scheme under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 to allow its State Transport Undertaking to operate stage carriages on the Saharanpur‑Delhi inter‑state route, excluding all other operators. The scheme, published in 1959, was challenged by 50 operators; the Allahabad High Court in…

The Supreme Court examined the method of calculating compensation under the Motor Vehicles Acts of 1939 and 1988, focusing on whether the multiplier in the Second Schedule must be applied rigidly and what criteria should guide the determination of the multiplicand (future earnings). The Court noted that earlier decisio…

Balakrishna Bus Service, a private operator, applied for renewal of its permit which was due to expire on 9 October 1974. Anna Transport Corporation objected and applied for its own permit. While the renewal application was pending, the respondent obtained a stay by filing a writ challenging Rule 155A of the Motor Vehi…

The appellants, private stage‑carriage operators, held temporary permits under section 68‑F(1‑C) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 on the Somna‑Naujheel route. A draft scheme published in 1960 under section 68‑C remained unapproved for more than 25 years, preventing the issuance of permanent permits and leading the Regio…

The appellants operated stage‑carriage services on inter‑State routes between Mysore (now Karnataka) and Andhra Pradesh and were exempted from motor‑vehicle tax by a notification dated 27 March 1963 issued under Section 9(1) of the Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963. After the Mysore State introduced a sc…

An accident occurred on 15‑10‑1982 and a claim petition was filed on 30‑11‑1982. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal dismissed the claim, but the Punjab & Haryana High Court allowed it, relying on Section 140 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended on 14‑11‑1994) and directing a payment of Rs 50,000 as "no‑fault li…

An accident on 27 May 1988 gave rise to a compensation claim under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which was filed on 23 December 1988. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force on 1 July 1989, repealing the 1939 Act, but the claim was finally decided on 29 June 1992, creating a right to appeal that was exercised on 2…

The petitioners, existing stage‑carriage operators, challenged the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988’s liberalised permit regime (sections 71, 72 and 80) on the ground that it violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution by allowing unlimited new entrants on the same routes. They argued that intra‑region permits were n…

A super‑fast train collided with a hired passenger bus at an unmanned level crossing in Kerala, killing most of the bus occupants. The Supreme Court examined whether the bus driver was negligent, whether his negligence could be imputed to the passengers, and whether the railways owed a common‑law duty of care despite t…

The State of Maharashtra owned a jeep that was officially used to transport employees after office hours. The authorized driver, who was intoxicated, permitted a clerk (respondent No. 4) to drive the vehicle, resulting in a collision that killed Vijay Singh. The claimants sought compensation under the Motor Vehicles Ac…

The Supreme Court examined five civil appeals concerning the grant or renewal of road‑transport permits on routes in Tamil Nadu. The Regional Transport Authority had awarded permits to the State Transport Undertaking (STU) and denied them to private operators, including Anna Transport and Safe Service. The State Transp…

Road Transport Company owned a passenger bus that met with an accident due to the driver’s negligence, killing 35 passengers. Nine claims were filed; the Tribunal awarded compensation but limited the insurer’s contribution to Rs 5,000 per passenger and Rs 75,000 in total, as per Section 95(2)(b)(ii) of the Motor Vehicl…

The Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (the appellant) objected to the grant of stage‑carriage permits to private operators for a route that overlapped the Ranchi‑Chaibasa segment, which was a nationalised route under a notified scheme dated 1‑April‑1960. The State Transport Authority rejected the corporation’s obj…

MIS. Complete Insulations (P) Ltd. bought a Maruti car originally insured by New India Assurance for the original owner. The car’s registration was transferred to the appellant on 15‑June‑1989 and the appellant requested the insurer to transfer the insurance policy, but the insurer gave no response. The vehicle was lat…

Sher Singh, a private operator holding stage‑carriage permits on an inter‑state route, applied for renewal of his permits under Section 58 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation applied for a fresh permit on the same route. The Regional Transport Authority, invoking Section 47(1…

Krishna alias Raju, a bus driver, was convicted of rash and negligent driving under IPC sections 279, 337, 304-A and Motor Vehicles Act sections 89(a) and 89(b) after his bus struck a bullock cart, causing one death and one injury. The magistrate imposed only nominal fines totaling Rs.345. The State appealed under Sect…

The widowed Bishan Devi and her four minor children claimed Rs.50,000 as compensation for the death of the husband, who was run over by a truck allegedly driven in a rash manner. The truck’s owner and the insurer contended that the vehicle had been stolen and was driven by an unlicensed, unauthorized driver, invoking S…

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (the appellant) sought to enforce a scheme of nationalisation that granted it exclusive rights to operate on certain routes and cancelled the permits of private operators. Private operators, including Mohd. Gilman Sharif, challenged the scheme, arguing they were entitl…

The case concerned a motor vehicle accident that occurred on 28 September 1984. The owner of the vehicle, Ram Dayal, claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, and sought to hold New India Assurance liable under an insurance policy that was taken on the same date as the accident. The Motor Accident Claims…

Hari Singh, aged 25, died in a road accident while traveling in a hired car owned by the Rajasthan Mahila Parishad. His wife and daughter claimed Rs 1 lakh compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded only Rs 10,000 in compensation and Rs 4,000 liability to the insurer, a …

The deceased was killed in a road accident and his sons filed a claim under Section 109 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The insurer’s policy limited third‑party liability to Rs 50,000 and the premium paid was Rs 240. The Motor Vehicles Tribunal awarded compensation of Rs 72,000 with interest at 12% and a default rate …

The State Transport Commissioner invited applications for four stage‑carriage permits on the Samana‑Amritsar route. Two permits were granted to the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and the remaining two were withheld. The appellants filed appeals, which were pending when the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 was repealed…

The petitioners, holders of contract carriage permits, challenged a 1975 Rajasthan Government notification that authorised officers of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (Deputy General Manager (Traffic), Assistant Depot Managers and Traffic Inspectors) to exercise the powers under Section 129A of the Motor…

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) drafted about 70 schemes in 1977 to nationalise bus routes, excluding private operators. After objections, a new government in 1983 had the Transport Minister approve the schemes, which the High Court later quashed on grounds of alleged bias and corruption. F…

The case concerned whether, after an approved scheme under the Motor Vehicles Act is published, existing private operators may increase the number of trips or vehicles by obtaining a variation of their stage‑carriage permits. The Court examined Section 57(8), which treats such variations as applications for new permits…

The appellant, a father, lost his five‑year‑old son when a tanker struck the boy as they walked to school on a road that had no footpath or pedestrian crossing. The father filed a claim for Rs 25,00,000 before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which awarded Rs 7,82,000 with interest; the High Court later reduced the …

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) of Coimbatore, using a marking system, awarded 11 marks to the State Transport Undertaking (Cheran Transport Corporation Ltd.) and 6 marks to a private operator (N.T. Arasu) for the Coimbatore‑Kottur stage‑carriage route, rejecting the private operator's renewal application. The S…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Karnataka State Government, while modifying road‑transport schemes under section 102 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, must record reasons for its decision. The Court held that modification of a scheme is a quasi‑judicial function and, therefore, the State must give a reasoned orde…

The husband of Mrs. Helen C. Rebello died in a collision between a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus and a Karnataka State Transport bus, the accident being caused by negligent driving. The legal heirs filed a claim for compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and were awarded Rs.3,90,000 by the t…

The Motor Transport Workers' Cooperative Society Ltd. obtained a stage‑carriage permit under Section 58 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for three years (Dec 23, 1987 – Dec 22, 1990). The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force on July 1, 1989 and the Society applied for renewal on Jan 4, 1991. The Regional Transport A…

The driver of a goods truck insured by National Insurance Co. Ltd. died in an accident, and his family claimed compensation under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal dismissed the claim, but the Madhya Pradesh High Court awarded Rs. 2,10,000 and directed the insurer to pay th…

The petitioners challenged the Central Government's fixation of a uniform quota of 50 all‑India tourist permits per State under Section 63(7) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (as amended by the 1969 Amendment), alleging that the quota was arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. The Court examined whet…

The Andhra Pradesh Government, under sections 68‑C, 68‑D and 68‑E of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, approved a draft nationalisation scheme for the Anantapur‑Dharmavaram route, exempting four specific routes from the scheme. Two private operators (respondents) challenged the exemption, alleging discrimination and a viol…

The appellants, holders of stage‑carriage permits, sought to operate their services over routes that were partially nationalised under Chapter IVA of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, by imposing "corridor restrictions" (i.e., not picking up or dropping passengers on the nationalised segment). The Supreme Court examined wh…

The Supreme Court examined whether a motor insurer can appeal a Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal award under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 when the insured has not filed an appeal. It held that an insurer’s right of appeal is limited to the statutory defences listed in Section 149(2) and cannot be used to …

The Supreme Court examined a large batch of appeals concerning compensation claims arising from deaths or injuries of persons travelling in goods vehicles. The claimants argued that the insurer was liable under Section 95 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and Section 147 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as amended in 199…

The Supreme Court examined the liability of an insurer under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for compensation to gratuitous passengers and owners or representatives of goods vehicles. It held that under the 1939 Act, Section 95(1)(b) excludes the insurer from such liability, but the corres…

The appellant and respondent both applied for a stage‑carriage permit. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) awarded marks based on the date of application, granting the permit to the appellant. The respondent appealed, and the State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT) set aside the RTA’s order, holding that the date …

The appellant and 14 other applicants sought a stage‑carriage permit for the Pudukkottai‑Kottaipattinam route. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) granted the permit to the appellant and rejected other applicants, including respondent No. 1, on the ground that they already held another permit. The State Transport Ap…

A petrol tanker collided with a truck on a highway, overturned and leaked petrol; four hours later the leaked fuel exploded, causing fire, injuries and the death of the claimant's son. The claimant sought compensation under Section 110 of the Motor Vehicles Act and a no‑fault claim of Rs.15,000 under Section 92A. The M…

A motor accident involving a Fiat car insured by a comprehensive policy resulted in injury to a gratuitous passenger, Kishan Sarup Thapar. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation against the car owners, drivers and the insurer. The High Court enhanced the award but held the insurer not liable, reasoning…

The Supreme Court considered appeals by New India Assurance Co. Ltd. against a Delhi High Court order that held the insurer liable for the full compensation awarded to third‑party claimants in a motor accident. The issue was whether an insurer that has not taken on higher liability by receiving a higher premium is boun…

The claimant, a young student, suffered multiple severe injuries in a road accident caused by the negligent driving of a bus insured by United India Insurance. He filed a compensation claim under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.1,50,000, later enhanced by the Bombay Hig…

The Maharashtra government issued a scheme under section 68‑D of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 granting the State Road Transport Corporation exclusive rights to operate contract carriage services, excluding all others except seven specified categories. A. S. Gokhale, not belonging to any category, applied to the Regiona…

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), a State Transport Undertaking (STU), sought to enforce a scheme notified under Sections 99 and 100 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 that gave it exclusive rights on the Angamaly‑Perumbavoor route, a notified route. Private operator Baby P.P. applied to the Regional Tr…

The appellant's husband was killed in a road accident on 5 April 1970 while the truck involved was covered by a statutory insurance policy issued on 30 June 1969. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 56 of 1969, effective 2 March 1970, raised the insurer's liability limit from Rs.20,000 to Rs.50,000. The Motor Accident C…

The appellant, a stage carriage operator, applied for renewal of his permit under Section 58(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, and the application was duly notified. Before the renewal could be granted, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force, repealing the 1939 Act. The respondent applied for a fresh permit on …

A Fiat car was sold and the transferee informed New India Assurance Co. Ltd. of the transfer by letters that did not follow the prescribed form under Section 103-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The insurer gave no reply. The car later met with an accident, and the victims claimed compensation from the insurer. The i…

The first respondent, a private transport operator, filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court challenging the scheme of nationalisation under Section 68(d) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The High Court allowed the petition and the appellant, the Managing Director, filed a timely writ appeal, while the State of T…

The State of Karnataka sought to recover motor vehicle tax arrears for a 12‑ton lorry that had been sold by the first respondent to the second respondent without reporting the transfer. Both respondents argued they were not liable: the first because he had sold the vehicle, the second because the lorry was in a worksho…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of the Gujarat High Court Full Bench's guidelines in Kamlaben v. Oriental Insurance, which required a ten‑year waiting period and periodic payments by the insurer for motor accident compensation. The Court held that these guidelines conflicted with the Supreme Court’s earlier dir…

The legal heirs of a deceased motor‑vehicle accident victim claimed Rs 2 lakhs from Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd., the insurer of the auto‑rickshaw that caused the death. The insurer argued that its liability was capped at Rs 50,000 under the insurance policy, while the claimants relied on Section 96 of the Motor Vehicle…

An accident involving two scooters occurred on 4 July 1979. The driver of the second scooter, respondent No.3, held a learner's licence that had expired in November 1977 and possessed no valid driving licence at the time of the accident. The claimant, respondent No.1, obtained a compensation award from the Motor Accide…

The appellants, holders of inter‑state stage‑carriage permits between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, had their permits cancelled after the Anekal Pocket Scheme of 1959 was notified under Section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, which excluded private operators from certain routes. They contended that the scheme, being …

The appellants, holders of contract carriage permits for mini buses in Uttar Pradesh, challenged the restriction that they could not pick up individual passengers at the start of their journeys. The State argued that the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 defines contract carriage as requiring a prior contract for the whole vehi…

K. Nandakumar was injured in a collision between his motorcycle and a bus owned by Thanthai Periyar Transport Corporation on 15 January 1987, resulting in permanent disability. He filed a claim under Section 92-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for no‑fault compensation, but the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal and the …

The appellant, a driver employed by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation since 1985, was charged in 1990 with securing his appointment by a false transfer certificate. An enquiry was initiated in 1992 but the report was only submitted in 2002, leading to a dismissal order in 2004. The appellant challenged the d…

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) challenged the grant of a stage‑carriage permit to private operators Ashrufulla Khan et al. for a route that overlapped a small portion of a notified route covered by a scheme of total exclusion prepared under Chapter IVA of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The High C…

The respondent, a motor vehicle dealer from Tamil Nadu, transported new cars and chassis through the State of Mysore en route to other states, covering about 400 miles and making brief halts. The Mysore Road Transport Authority demanded road tax under Section 3(2) of the Mysore Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957, which …

The Supreme Court allowed a civil appeal by the mother, sister and brothers of Abdul Rehman, a 20‑year‑old college student who was killed when a municipal truck hit his bicycle. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and the Allahabad High Court had dismissed the claim for compensation, relying on the testimony of two inte…

The widow of Major Dalip Singh and his two minor sons filed a claim before the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal after a bus collided with their car, killing the Major and injuring the children. The Tribunal awarded compensation based on the assumption that the deceased spent half his salary on personal expenses, used a …

The petitioners, holders of stage‑carriage permits under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, challenged Scheme No. 50‑M which reserved certain routes for exclusive operation by the Madhya Pradesh Road Transport Corporation. When the scheme came into force, the permits of some operators whose routes overlapped the reserved ro…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Chennai City Municipal Corporation (the Corporation) or the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTCL) had statutory authority to erect and manage bus shelters under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919. By interpreting Sections 203, 285, and 285‑A, the Court held that …

The Supreme Court examined whether the Chennai City Municipal Corporation (the Corporation) or the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTCL) had statutory authority to erect and manage bus shelters under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919. By interpreting Sections 203, 204, 285, 285‑A and related provisio…

D.P. Sharma, owner of a public service vehicle, applied for a special permit under section 63(6) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Regional Transport Authority refused, invoking the Karnataka Contract Carriages (Acquisition) Act, 1976, which it said barred such permits. A single judge of the Karnataka High Court all…

The petitioners, Sarguja Transport Service, obtained a transport permit which was later set aside by the State Transport Appellate Tribunal. They filed a writ petition (M.P. No. 2945/85) under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution, which the High Court allowed them to withdraw and dismissed as withdrawn. Subsequently th…

The respondents were injured in a motor accident on 18 February 1989 and filed a claim petition for compensation on 2 November 1995. The appellant, New India Assurance Co., argued that the claim was barred by the six‑month limitation prescribed in Section 166(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (as read with the repeale…

The petitioners, owners of mini‑buses, challenged Condition No. 18 attached to their contract‑carriage permits, which limited the age of the vehicle (originally four years, later seven). They argued that the condition violated Article 14 because omnibuses were not subject to a similar restriction, that it was ultra‑vir…

The petitioners, operators of tourist vehicles holding all‑India permits issued under Section 63(7) of the Motor Vehicles Act, challenged Karnataka's withdrawal of a tax exemption that had previously been granted to such vehicles. The exemption was intended to avoid double taxation of tourist vehicles when they operate…

The appellant, a foreman, suffered partial loss of eyesight and amputation of a finger in a motor vehicle accident caused by the negligence of a state transport corporation driver. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded him a total compensation of Rs.5,05,053.45, including Rs.1,50,000 for permanent disability. The …

The appellants, private stage‑carriage operators, held permits issued under the 1963 nationalisation scheme (as modified in 1980) and claimed that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) could not grant permits to other private operators on routes overlapping those nationalised routes. They sought a writ of mandamus to …

The petition challenged a condition imposed by the Regional Transport Authority that contract carriage permits could not be renewed for buses older than seven years, alleging it was ultra vires Section 51(2)(x) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and violated Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court examined…

During the 1993 Assembly elections, a Maruti Gypsy owned by Respondent No.3 and insured by National Insurance Co. Ltd. was requisitioned by the Sub‑Divisional Magistrate under the Representation of the People Act. While the magistrate was travelling in the vehicle, it met with an accident that caused the death of a boy…

The appellants, Vikram Shitole and others, held permits to operate stage carriages on the Gwalior‑Indore route, which had been notified as a frozen route under Section 68‑D(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. A self‑employment scheme allowed unemployed graduates to run stage carriages on such routes subject to specific…

The petitioner, a stage‑carriage permit holder, objected to a scheme published under section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 that would grant the State Transport Undertaking exclusive rights on certain routes. Before the hearing authority under section 68‑D could approve the scheme, he filed a civil suit seeking a…

The brothers of a 14‑year‑old boy who was killed in a bus accident filed an application under Section 110‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, seeking compensation as legal representatives of the deceased. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 32,000 and the Gujarat High Court dismissed the transport corporation…

The petitioners, private bus operators, sought to ply their vehicles on routes intersecting notified routes, invoking a modification under Section 102(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 that relaxes the distance restriction to 25 kilometres. The State Government had issued a notification allowing such relaxation but pr…

The Supreme Court examined the widespread misuse of red lights and multi‑toned horns on motor vehicles, which were being employed by a large number of public officials and private citizens beyond the limited class intended by law. The petition, led by senior counsel Harish Salve, raised constitutional concerns that suc…

A motor accident occurred on 16 April 1987 at 10:00 am, killing Smt. Salta Bai. The bus involved was owned by respondent No. 5 and driven by respondent No. 6. The owner bought an insurance policy for the bus on the same day at 9:00 pm, and the policy expressly stated that its commencement was 16 April 1987 at 21:00 hou…

A constable was killed when a tractor owned by Kashiram Yadav was driven by Raghuraj, who had no driving licence. The victim's widow and children claimed compensation, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs.96,000, holding the owner liable. On appeal, the owner and the insurer argued that the insurer should …

The appellants challenged the validity of a transport scheme approved by the State Government and published on May 29, 1993, contending that under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, prior approval of the Central Government was mandatory and that the draft scheme had lapsed under Section 100(4). The Supreme Court examined ea…

Krishan Kumar, holder of a stage‑carriage permit for the Kota‑Khanpur route, challenged the State of Rajasthan’s decision to grant an exclusive operating right on the overlapping Kota‑Sangod route. The State Road Transport Corporation had issued a notification on 11‑Oct‑1979 under Section 68‑C of the Motor Vehicles Act…

The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) deposited the award amount from a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in the executing court but failed to give notice to the decree holders. The decree holders claimed interest from the date of deposit (June 27, 1986) until they were informed (April 19, 1989). The corp…

The respondents' daughter died in a motor accident on 02‑02‑1977. A claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was filed before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal on 23‑02‑2005, more than 28 years after the accident. The Tribunal entertained the claim, and the High Court upheld it, holding that th…

Jugal Kishore was injured in a collision between his three‑wheeler and a bus owned by Delhi Janata Co‑operative Transport Society and insured by National Insurance Co. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs 10,000, which the Delhi High Court enhanced to Rs 1,00,000. The insurer appealed, contending that under Se…

Tata Iron & Steel Co. owned 57 vehicles used exclusively for its own business and employee welfare, such as tipper trucks for coal handling, explosive vans, water and diesel tankers, canteen vans and school buses. The District Transport Officer levied additional motor vehicle tax under s.6(1A) of the Bihar and Orissa M…

A 45‑year‑old cyclist was killed when a bus hired by the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) struck him. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) held the accident resulted from the driver’s rash and negligent driving and awarded Rs 1.65 lakhs plus interest as compensation. The High Court, relying …

The appeal concerned an accident that occurred in 1983 for which a claim under Section 92‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 was awarded. The State of Punjab sought to increase the compensation by invoking Section 140 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which raised the no‑fault liability amount. The Supreme Court examined…

Ballav Kumar Sethi, a 24‑year‑old, was killed by an oil tanker. His dependents filed a claim under Section 110‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for loss of estate and support. The Tribunal awarded Rs 1,00,000 and the High Court added Rs 18,000. The Supreme Court examined the multiplier method for calculating compensat…

The appellant purchased a bus from the fourth respondent but neither party gave the insurer the notice required under Section 103A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. After the bus met with an accident, two third parties claimed compensation. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held the insurer liable because it had contin…

The appellants, a partnership holding a stage‑carriage permit, sought to extend their route after a portion had been deleted by a nationalisation scheme and a subsequent state notification allowing short district‑headquarter routes. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) rejected the extension, holding that the applica…

The case concerned a collision between a jeep driven by Shantaram Patki and a passenger bus, resulting in the death of R.J. Kulkarni. The trial court dismissed the claim for damages, deeming the accident inevitable, but the Bombay High Court reversed this, finding the bus driver negligent and upholding a compensation a…

The appellant was injured in a road accident on 4 December 1990 and filed a claim petition for compensation before the Additional Motor Accident Claims Tribunal on 7 December 1991, seeking condonation of a four‑day delay. The Tribunal condoned the delay, but the High Court set aside that order, relying on Section 166(3…

The appellant, U.P. State Road Transport Corporation, was sued for compensation after its omnibus caused the death of Prem Chandra, aged 26. The claimants calculated loss of dependency based on a monthly surplus of Rs.200 and applied a multiplier of 24 years, which the Tribunal used; the High Court corrected the multip…

Purnya Kala Devi, a widow, claimed compensation after her husband was killed in a road accident caused by a private bus owned by Md. Abdul Salam, which was under requisition by the State of Assam and uninsured at the time of the accident on 16 February 1993. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held the registered owner …

A taxi collided with a passenger train at a railway crossing, causing deaths and injuries. The claimants filed applications under Section 110-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 for compensation against the taxi insurer and the Railway Administration. The Railway Administration argued that the Motor Accidents Claims Trib…

A petrol tanker collided with a truck on a highway, leaked petrol and, after a four‑hour interval, caught fire and exploded, killing 46 people who had gathered at the site. The victims' heirs filed claims for compensation under Section 110A (fault liability) and for no‑fault compensation under Section 92A of the Motor …

The Supreme Court examined whether a holder of a Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) licence, defined under Section 2(21) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, may drive a Transport Vehicle whose gross weight does not exceed 7,500 kg without a separate endorsement under Section 10(2)(e). After analysing the definitions, the 1994 amen…

NHPC Ltd. provides free bus transport for its employees and their children in Himachal Pradesh. The State assessed passenger tax on this service under the Himachal Pradesh Passengers and Goods Taxation Act, 1955, which the High Court had held did not apply to gratis transport. The State later enacted the Himachal Prade…

The appellant suffered injuries in a road accident on 22 January 1989 and filed a claim petition on 15 March 1990, seeking condonation of delay. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, under which the accident occurred, was repealed and replaced by the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 on 1 July 1989; both statutes prescribe a six‑month …

A car owned by a firm was sent to Guru Govekar's workshop for electrical repairs. While the mechanic Momad Donttach was working on the vehicle, it moved and struck Miss Filomena F. Lobo, causing injuries. Lobo filed a claim under section 111-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, seeking compensation. The Motor Accidents C…

A motor vehicle registered in the name of Vijay Kumar (the first respondent) struck two pedestrians, killing one and injuring another. The vehicle had allegedly been sold through a chain of transfers before the accident, but the registration certificate remained in Vijay Kumar's name. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal…

New India Assurance Co. issued a comprehensive insurance policy for a bus owned by respondent No.4. The bus was involved in an accident caused by the negligent driving of respondent No.5, resulting in the death of a passenger, Laxman Singh, who was riding on the roof with the driver’s permission. The legal heirs claime…

The appellant, A. Viswanathan, challenged the State Transport Appellate Tribunal’s order that set aside his temporary stage‑carriage permit on the Pondicherry‑Madras route and granted it to another party. The Court examined whether a Regional Transport Authority could repeatedly issue temporary permits under section 62…

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) initially issued a notification under s.57(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 to invite applications for stage‑carriage permits, but the RTA was later found to be improperly constituted for lacking a non‑official member as required by s.44. After being reconstituted, the RTA did n…

The case concerned a claim for compensation by the family of a 16‑year‑old who died as a gratuitous passenger in a goods vehicle insured by National Insurance Co. Ltd. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and the Punjab & Haryana High Court had held the insurer liable, relying on the earlier Satpal Singh decision. On app…

R.D. Hattangadi, a practising advocate, was severely injured in a head‑on collision between a car owned by Mis. Pest Control (India) Pvt. Ltd. and a motor lorry, resulting in 100% disability and paraplegia. He filed a claim under Section 110‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 seeking compensation for medical expenses, l…

Syed Abu Thakir was injured while alighting from a bus owned by the appellant and died en route to the hospital. His family claimed Rs 92,000 compensation from the bus owner, the insurer, and the driver. The Motor Vehicles Tribunal awarded the full amount but limited the insurer's liability to Rs 10,000, invoking Secti…

The Lt. Governor of Delhi authorized Raj Kumar Gupta, Patron of a workers' union, to file a complaint under Section 34 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 against the employer for alleged unfair labour practices punishable under Section 25‑U. The employer challenged the order, and the Delhi High Court set it aside, ho…

The appellants, private bus operators, claimed that a 1999 notification under s.102(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which purported to modify the 1993 scheme and allow them to operate on the Saharanpur‑Delhi inter‑state route, was validly approved by a Hearing Authority and could not be rescinded. The State of Utta…

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) challenged a High Court order that directed the State Transport Authority to issue 38 stage‑carriage permits to private operators for the Muzaffarnagar‑Chajlet route. The permits covered the Bijnor‑Noorpur segment, which had been notified as a state‑run road‑t…

A rickshaw puller, Chinku, was killed in a motorcycle accident. The motorcycle was originally owned and insured by Bhagwan Rai Amrit Lal, who later sold it to the appellants (Rikhi Ram and Azad Engineering Works) without informing the insurer, as required by Section 103-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The deceased's…

The case concerned whether private operators could be granted stage‑carriage permits on inter‑State routes that overlapped portions of intra‑State routes notified under a scheme under Chapter VI of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, in light of an Inter‑State Reciprocal Transport (IS‑RT) Agreement executed under Section 88.…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a transport scheme prepared by the Uttar Pradesh State Transport Undertaking under sections 68C (draft scheme) and 68D (approved scheme) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The scheme did not specify the exact number of services (buses, trips) to be provided, and the Allahabad Hi…

The appellant insurer had issued a statutory third‑party motor insurance policy for a scooter sold by respondent No.5 to respondent No.1 in March 1989, but no notice of the transfer was given to the insurer. The scooter was involved in an accident on 31 October 1989, after the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force, …

The plaintiff, Jagiru, a tonga driver, died after his vehicle collided with a tractor driven by Sushil Kumar. The plaintiffs filed a claim for compensation under Section 110‑A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The insurer argued it was not liable because the tractor driver did not possess a valid licence, which the driv…

The case concerned whether an insurer is liable to pay compensation to the dependents of a passenger who died while travelling in a goods carriage that met with an accident. The Motor Accident Tribunal had held the insurer liable, relying on the earlier decision in New India Assurance Co. v. Satpal Singh. The Supreme C…

The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) hired a bus from its owner, Sanjay Kumar, and operated it on a route for which it held a permit. The bus, driven by the owner's employee, was swept away over a flooded bridge, killing 23 passengers. The victims' heirs filed claims for compensation under Section 110…

The deceased's family filed a claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 seeking compensation for death caused by a stone that fell during a blasting operation used to dig a well. The tribunal held the accident to be a vehicular accident because the tractor’s battery, still installed on the vehicl…

The Travancore Tea Co. Ltd., a tea plantation owning 17 motor vehicles, claimed that the vehicles were used only on private estate roads for agricultural purposes and therefore exempt from tax under the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1963. The State levied tax, seized a lorry and the company paid the amount under …

The claimant, Randhir Singh, suffered permanent disability after a collision with a truck owned by Ramesh Chandra and sought compensation for loss of earnings, treatment expenses, and general damages for pain and suffering. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded compensation under three separate heads and the High …

The appellant, Prakash Chandra Sahu, held a permanent stage‑carriage permit issued under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1939 for an inter‑state route. After the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 came into force, his permit expired and he applied to the State Transport Authority (STA) for renewal. The STA rejected his renewal and gra…

The deceased Mahesh Chandra Verma, aged 45, died in a bus accident caused by the negligent driver of a bus owned by U.P. State Road Transport Corporation. A claim for compensation under Section 110 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 was filed before the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal, which assessed the deceased’s monthly…

A ten‑year‑old girl died in a truck accident on 11 March 1990 while travelling as a gratuitous passenger. Her father, brother and sister claimed compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 25,000, directing New India Assurance Company, the insurer of the vehicle, …

The insurer, National Insurance Co., appealed against a tribunal and High Court order that held it liable to pay compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for the death of a person travelling as a passenger in a goods carriage. The Supreme Court examined whether the Act imposes a statutory duty on vehicle owners …

The United India Insurance Company had issued a third‑party motor insurance policy for a car owned by R‑9. The car was driven by R‑1, who was unlicensed, and collided with a scooter, killing its rider. The claimants (dependents of the deceased) sought compensation, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held that R‑9 h…

The State of Karnataka, by the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Act 1989, inserted sub‑section (4) in Section 3 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1957, imposing a special additional tax on each occasion a motor vehicle carries passengers in excess of its permitted capacity. The respondents chal…

M. Duraiswamy, holder of an inter‑regional stage‑carriage permit issued by the Periyar Regional Transport Authority (RTA), applied to that RTA for a variation that included converting the service to a mofussil one and extending the route into Salem District, which lay wholly in the jurisdiction of the Salem RTA. The Pe…

The Karnataka State Transport Authority received 495 applications for 14 All‑India Tourist Vehicle permits. It initially granted 11 permits to the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, one to the Indian Tourism Development Corporation and two to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. The Karnataka S…

The appellant, a passenger in a bus owned by the Managing Director of Assam State Transport Corporation, suffered serious injuries when a bomb exploded inside the bus while passengers were alighting at the last stop during the Assam agitation. He claimed compensation under Sections 92‑A and 110 of the Motor Vehicles Ac…

Muthiah Sekhar, a 25‑year‑old lawyer, was injured in a collision between a taxi and a bus owned by Nesamony TPT. Corporation Ltd. He suffered permanent dislocation of the right hip, 60% loss of vision in the left eye and 50% loss of hearing in the left ear, and had to travel to New York for balloon embolisation of a ca…

The U.P. State Road Transport Corporation sought permits for routes covered by an exclusive scheme and was told by the Regional Transport Authority that, under Section 58(2)(a) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, the permits had to be renewed every three years. The corporation challenged this, arguing that Rule 10(4) of t…

The petitioner, owner of a stage‑carriage bus, claimed that the insurer should indemnify him up to Rs 75,000 under Section 95(2)(b)(ii)(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939, arguing that the per‑passenger limit in sub‑clause (ii)(4) was inapplicable. The Supreme Court examined the pre‑1982 wording of Section 95(2)(b), wh…

The appellant, a 45‑year‑old proprietor who lost his right leg below the knee in a bus accident, claimed Rs. 21,00,000 as compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded Rs. 9,42,822, applying a multiplier of 13 and granting Rs. 1,00,000 for 85% permanent disability. The Hig…

The Supreme Court examined the validity of a draft scheme under the Motor Vehicles Acts (1939 and 1988) to nationalise 39 road‑transport routes in Uttar Pradesh, of which 38 routes were distinct from the Saharanpur‑Shahdra‑Delhi route previously dealt with in Ram Krishna Verma. The Court held that the statutory right t…

The owner of a truck left the engine running and handed control to a cleaner, an unlicensed person, who interfered and caused an accident. The owner was held vicariously liable for damages, and the insurer sought to rely on an exclusion clause that barred liability when an unlicensed driver was at the wheel, invoking S…

The State Transport Authority of Orissa advertised for applications for all‑India tourist permits in 1974. The appellants applied directly for such permits, were granted them, and their subsequent appeals to the State Transport Appellate Tribunal were dismissed. The High Court, however, quashed the permits on the groun…