Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal: constitution, jurisdiction, procedure, powers and appeals
LUG-101 Law of Torts including Motor Vehicle Accident and Consumer Protection Act, Unit V: Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. · LLB · 60 min
Chapter XII of the Motor Vehicles Act (ss. 165-176): constitution and qualifications of the Claims Tribunal (s. 165), the claim application - who may apply, where and within what time (s. 166, including the six-month limitation of 2019), the option under the Employees' Compensation Act (s. 167), the inquiry and award (s. 168), the procedure and powers of the Tribunal (s. 169) and its related powers (ss. 170-172, 174), appeals to the High Court (s. 173), the bar on civil courts (s. 175), the meaning of "legal representative" (Gujarat SRTC v. Ramanbhai Prabhatbhai) and the Supreme Court's directions for protecting the award (Jai Prakash v. National Insurance). It answers "Power of Motor Accident Claim Tribunal under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988" (2024-25, Q 5(a)(i)).
Objectives
- Explain how a Claims Tribunal is constituted and who may be appointed (s. 165).
- State who may apply for compensation, before which Tribunal and within what time (s. 166).
- List the procedure and powers of the Tribunal under ss. 168-172 and 174, including its civil court powers.
- Explain the right of appeal under s. 173, the pre-deposit and the Rs 1 lakh bar.
- Apply the wide meaning of legal representative (Ramanbhai) and the safeguards for awards (Jai Prakash).
Slides
- Why a special tribunal: constitution under s. 165
- Jurisdiction: what claims and where
- The application: who may apply (s. 166(1))
- Legal representatives: Gujarat SRTC v. Ramanbhai Prabhatbhai (1987)
- Limitation: six months (s. 166(3)) and the option under s. 167
- Inquiry and award (s. 168)
- Procedure and powers of the Claims Tribunal (s. 169)
- Further powers: impleading the insurer, interest, costs and recovery
- Appeals (s. 173) and the bar on civil courts (s. 175)
- Protecting the award: Jai Prakash v. National Insurance (2010) and the claims procedure
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