NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITEDversusMANUBA GEMALSANG ALIAS GEMALSINH RANA
- Disposal
- 47-DISPOSAL IN ANY OTHER MODE FH
- Bench
- HASMUKH D SUTHAR
Holding
The First Appeal is dismissed because the compensation awarded is meager and reasonable, and the Court will not interfere on merits.
Summary
The National Insurance Company Limited appealed under section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 against a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal award of Rs.3,67,116 to the victims of a road accident. The appeal challenged the judgment and award dated 23 February 2022. The High Court examined the appeal and noted that the amount involved was small and the award appeared just and reasonable. Consequently, the Court dismissed the appeal solely on the ground of the meager monetary value, without expressing any opinion on the merits or legal questions raised. The order also directed the transmission of the record to the Tribunal and the release of the awarded amount to the claimants, with no order as to costs.
Issues considered
- Whether a First Appeal under section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 should be dismissed on the ground that the compensation awarded is small and reasonable
Legislation cited
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988s. 173
Subjects
Judgment
C/FA/1383/2022 JUDGMENT DATED: 22/01/2026
IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
R/FIRST APPEAL NO. 1383 of 2022
FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR
==============================================
Approved for Reporting Yes No
==============================================
NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
Versus
MANUBA GEMALSANG ALIAS GEMALSINH RANA & ORS.
==============================================
Appearance:
MR. ALKESH N SHAH(3749) for the Appellant(s) No. 1
RULE NOT RECD BACK for the Defendant(s) No. 7
RULE SERVED for the Defendant(s) No. 1,2,3,4,5
RULE UNSERVED for the Defendant(s) No. 6
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CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE HASMUKH D. SUTHAR
Date : 22/01/2026
ORAL JUDGMENT
1) Insurance Company is in First Appeal under section 173 of the
Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Challenge is made to the judgment and
award dated 23.02.2022 passed by the learned Motor Accident
Claims Tribunal (Auxi.), Anand in Motor Accident Claim Petition
No.39 of 2016.
2) Perusal of the judgment and award indicates that Insurance
Company has challenged the judgment and award made to the tune
of Rs.3,67,116/- to the victim of the road accident.
3) Heard learned advocates for the respective parties.
4) Since the amount involved in the First Appeal is small and meagre,
paying due regard to smallness of amount, this Court is of the
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C/FA/1383/2022 JUDGMENT DATED: 22/01/2026
considered view that the First Appeal should be disposed of as
compensation awarded seems to be just and reasonable and no
interference is called. It is hereby made clear that this First Appeal
is disposed of only on the ground of award of compensation being
meager and small. This Court has not expressed any opinion on
merits and question of law raised in this First Appeal and is kept
open to be urged in other proceedings which may arise from the
same road accident / same judgment and award. It is made clear
that this order will not come in the way of adjudication of any other
First Appeal pending against same judgment and award or
adjudication of any other claim petition arising from same road
accident. Since the First Appeal is disposed of only on the
contention of monetary value, principle of res judicata shall not be
applied to any other proceedings arising from the same road
accident or same judgment and award.
5) In view of above, the First Appeal is dismissed. Pending Civil
Applications, if any, stands disposed of as having become
infructuous. No order as to costs.
6) Record and Proceedings and amount, if any lying before this Court
is ordered to be transmitted to the concerned Tribunal forthwith
along with accrued interest, if any. The entire awarded amount be
disbursed and released in favour of the claimants after due
verification by transferring the said amount to the account of the
claimants either by RTGS or NEFT mode.
(HASMUKH D. SUTHAR,J)
ANKIT JANSARI
Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: ANKIT YOGESHBHAI JANSARI(HCW0109), ENGLISH STENOGRAPHER GRADE I, at High Court of Gujarat on 22/01/2026 16:17:58
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