Dhirender Singh @ Dhirendra Rawat vs Sh. Nand Ram and Others

G.P. Mittal, J.—The Appeal is for enhancement of compensation of Rs. 6,21,000/- awarded for the death of Smt. Basu Devi, a housewife

aged 33 years, who died in a motor vehicle accident which took place on 06.07.2009. It is urged by the learned counsel for the Appellants that the

compensation awarded is very meager. The value of gratuitous services rendered by a housewife has not been assessed in the proper prospective,

particularly, in view of the fact that this accident took place on 06.07.2009.

This case is covered by the judgment of this Court in Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Master Manmeet Singh & Ors. MAC.

APP. 590/2011, decided on 30.01.2012.

In Master Manmeet Singh this Court noticed following judgments of the Supreme Court:-

(i) General Manager, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Trivandrum Vs. Mrs. Susamma Thomas and others,

(ii) National Insurance Company Limited v. Deepika & Ors., 2010 (4) ACJ 2221,

(iii) Amar Singh Thukral v. Sandeed Chhatwal, ILR (2004) 2 Del 1,

(iv) Lata Wadhwa and Others Vs. State of Bihar and Others,

(v) Gobald Motor Service Ltd. and Another Vs. R.M.K. Veluswami and Others,

(vi) A. Rajam Vs. M. Manikya Reddy and Another

(vii) Morris v. Rigby (1966) 110 Sol Jo 834 and

(viii) Regan v. Williamson 1977 ACJ 331 (QBD England),

and laid down the principle for determination of loss of dependency on account of gratuitous services rendered by a housewife. Para 34 of the

judgment in Master Manmeet Singh (supra) is extracted hereunder:-

To sum up, the loss of dependency on account of gratuitous services rendered by a housewife shall be:-

(i) Minimum salary of a Graduate where she is a Graduate.

(ii) Minimum salary of a Matriculate where she is a Matriculate.

(iii) Minimum salary of a non-Matriculate in other cases.

(iv) There will be an addition of 25% in the assumed income in (i), (ii) and (iii) where the age of the homemaker is upto 40 years; the increase will

be restricted to 15% where her age is above 40 years but less than 50 years; there will not be any addition in the assumed salary where the age is

more than 50 years.

(v) When the deceased home maker is above 55 years but less than 60 years; there will be deduction of 25%; and when the deceased home

maker is above 60 years there will be deduction of 50% in the assumed income as the services rendered decrease substantially. Normally, the

value of gratuitous services rendered will be NIL (unless there is evidence to the contrary) when the home maker is above 65 years.

(vi) If a housewife dies issueless, the contribution towards the gratuitous services is much less, as there are greater chances of the husband''s re-

marriage. In such cases, the loss of dependency shall be 50% of the income as per the qualification stated in (i), (ii) and (iii) above and addition and

deduction thereon as per (iv) and (v) above.

(vii) There shall not be any deduction towards the personal and living expenses.

(viii) As an attempt has been made to compensate the loss of dependency, only a notional sum which may be upto Rs. 25,000/- (on present scale

of the money value) towards loss of love and affection and Rs. 10,000/- towards loss of consortium, if the husband is alive, may be awarded.

(ix) Since a homemaker is not working and thus not earning, no amount should be awarded towards loss of estate.

An Appeal being SLP (C) No. 19711/2012 filed against the above referred judgment as ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited

v. Shiv Kumar & Ors., was dismissed by the Supreme Court by an order dated 24.07.2012.

The deceased was a Matriculate. Thus, the loss of dependency has to be granted on the basis of Minimum Wages of a Matriculate. On applying

the ratio as laid down in Master Manmeet Singh, the loss of dependency comes to Rs. 10,51,680/- (4382/- + 25% x 12 x 16).

On adding a sum of Rs. 55,000/- towards non-pecuniary heads as awarded by the Claims Tribunal, the overall compensation thus comes to Rs.

11,06,680/-

The enhanced compensation of Rs. 4,85,680/- shall carry interest @ 7.5% per annum from the date of filing of the petition till its deposit.

Respondent No. 3 the New India Assurance Company Limited is directed to deposit the enhanced compensation along with interest with the

Claims Tribunal within six weeks.

The compensation along with interest shall be payable to the Appellants in equal proportion and shall be held in fixed deposit/released in terms

of the order passed by the Claims Tribunal.

The Appeal is allowed in above terms. Pending Applications also stand disposed of.