MACT awards Rs 12 lakh compensation to family of accident victim after 11 yrs

Tribunal tenders apology for long agony

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 26: The Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) Kulgam presided over by Tahir Khurshid Raina, Principal District and Sessions Judge, has awarded compensation to the tune of Rs 12,93,040 to the family of accident victim to be paid by Bajaj Allianz.
“A young labourer lost his life way back in the year 2009 in a motor accident, left behind a widow and 5 children. They knocked the doors of this Tribunal in February 2011 for compensation to survive but could not get it till now whereas ideally such cases should get settled in a maximum period of six months”, the Presiding Officer observed.
“A simple case of death by negligence was made so complicated over the years that case could not get settled by this Tribunal well in time and deceased’s family had to suffer for such a long time of eleven years”, he further said, adding “without making any attempt to justify the delay in disposal of this claim petition, this Tribunal simply tenders apology to the victim’s family for the long agony it faced on account of delay in disposal of petition”.
“Though there was still an attempt being made to keep this case waiting in the web of legal intricacies, but now this Tribunal did not allow any attempt of respondent, the Insurance Company, to succeed as an impediment in culminating this claim petition to its logical end, which by sheer coincidence is being decided on the auspicious occasion of the Constitutional Day, a day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India which secures to its citizens speedy, social and economic justice”, the Presiding Officer said.
Stating that “Justice delayed is justice denied”, the Presiding Officer said, “the appalling aspect is that when a bread earner of any family dies in an accident, it crumbles down the victim’s family emotionally and financially”, adding “the real essence of the Motor Vehicle Act is to provide compensation to the victim family at the very earliest, otherwise the whole purpose of the legislation goes and loses its very significance”.