Allahabad High Court
SHABNAM BEGAM AND 2 OTHERSversusU.P.S.R.T.C. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
- Bench
- ROHIT RANJAN AGARWAL
Holding
The Court directed the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal to decide the pending claim within six months and disposed the writ petition without adjudicating the merits.
Summary
Petitioners filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Agra, to expedite the disposal of MAC No. 591 of 2020 pending since 2020. The petition relied on Section 166 read with Section 140 of the Motor Vehicles Act, contending that the prolonged delay served no useful purpose. The Court, after noting the pendency, issued an order directing the Tribunal to hear all parties and decide the claim within six months of the certified copy of the order, without adjudicating the merits of the underlying claim. The writ petition was consequently disposed of at the admission stage. The order emphasizes that the Court has not decided the substantive issues of the accident claim.
Issues considered
- Whether the High Court can, under Section 166 read with Section 140 of the Motor Vehicles Act, direct the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal to dispose of a pending claim expeditiously?
- Whether a writ petition can be disposed of at the admission stage without a full hearing on merits?
Legislation cited
- Motor Vehicles Act — s. 140, 166
Subjects
- writ petition
- Motor Accident Claims Tribunal
- expeditious disposal
- Section 166
- Section 140
- Motor Vehicles Act
- pending claim
- admission stage disposal
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - C No. - 36687 of 2026
Shabnam Begam And 2 Others
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
U.P.S.R.T.C. And Another
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Abhilasha Tiwari, Kanchan Prajapati, Krishna
Mohan Rai, Vijay Laxmi Gupta
Counsel for Respondent(s) :
Court No. - 9
HON'BLE ROHIT RANJAN AGARWAL, J.
1. This writ petition has been filed with the following prayer:-
"Issue necessary direction to the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal Agra for
expedite disposal of the M.A.C. No. 591 2020 (Shabnam Begam and
others Vs. U. P. S. R. T. C. and another) under Section 166 read with
Section 140 M.V. Act, expeditiously or within the stipulated period as may
be fixed by this Hon'ble Court."
2. It is contended by learned counsel for the petitioners that Motor
Accident Claims Petition is pending consideration since the year 2020
before Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Agra.
3. As no useful purpose would be served in keeping the matter pending,
or calling for counter affidavit or issuing notice to the private respondent,
the matter is being disposed of, at the admission stage, with a direction
upon Tribunal concerned to decide the pending M.A.C.P. No. 591 of
2020, after hearing all the concerned parties, strictly in accordance with
law, expeditiously, preferably within a period of six months from the date
of production of certified copy of this order.
4. With the aforesaid direction, present writ petition stands disposed of. It
is made clear that this Court has not adjudicated the case on merits.
(Rohit Ranjan Agarwal,J.)
September 14, 2026
Shekhar
Digitally signed by :-
SHASHI SHEKHAR PANDEY
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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