Report No. 77

10.3. Motor Accidents Claims.-

A third category of cases calling for speedy disposal are those filed before Motor Accidents Claims Tribunals.' Many of these claims are made by widows and children of persons who lost their lives as a result of the accident. Quite a large number of these widows and children are in straitened circumstances because of their having lost the adult earning member of the family as a result of the accident. At most of the places, the district judge is designated as the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal.

He, however, because of pressure or other work, has hardly enough time to deal with these cases. In a place like Delhi, there was, till recently, only one Tribunal and the number of cases pending before the tribunal was so large that they would remain pending for five or six years or even more. This cause.- as it must-great dismay and frustration amongst the people. The entire object of appointing Motor Accidents Claims Tribunals and of creating third party liability by statute is set at naught by the inordinate length of time taken to dispose of these cases.