High Court Karnataka High Court

The Branch Manager vs Smt Mallamma on 13 March, 2009

Karnataka High Court
The Branch Manager vs Smt Mallamma on 13 March, 2009
Author: K.Sreedhar Rao S.N.Satyanarayana

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANG;é4§{;i31f§’E%’LT:j1?
DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY 01? JM.ARCP§’,”2f}.5§§: “T5: F: ”
PRESENT I t % % V
THE HQNBLE MR. JUSTIC§’§:_V:Kc.$Ri§iEfié}1:3$€. fi}’§G 5
THE HONBLE M32.

% .ffi{d4.E_f,__A_,;_’N(); k5a.4a?%a,F___§ao7 C NC)
‘%«M.%1=*i,.4;,, 1sr:>.k45s;saor% 2097 (we)
%%%% jg m;3;=xA;–.m;. a351t_pg__goo7 C W

1!_a[;.F.1i’}-.l§Q. 634$

BE’m%§:E§:”;« V

” * M ?:–§E*:~B,RANCH Mzamaak,
A :~::£«;w IISfI.}IA’ASSURANCE cc». L’i’D.,
£v;CTB1;H.I3:Nc}, KALPEFFA NORTH,
‘im”.§§A:3« i§.i$’1fI%’iG§, KERALA STATE,
NQW I€}E:P;’ {BY ‘§’T’S REGIONAL MANAGER,

— THE 1’wEi%’§’i3.?”i1*€I}iA ASSURANCE CC). §;:m.,
Rgc3:Q2§AL Q§r’F’§€E, 2-3, UNI’I’Y B:}1::,1::>:NG,
, }’aZ§E”?§EXE, P. KALENGA RAG RQAD,
‘– _1i”3AI’_§fC»ALGRE -» 27.

= APPELLANT
{BY SR} AN. EGQISHNASWAMY, ADVQCATE)

AN{}:

3. SMT. MALLfiMMA,

Cg/%

accident occurred in the course of and out of

empioyment and in the use of motor Vellicle.

Commissioner has assessed the wages of _

at the rate of Rs.4,0()()/ — per mon_t_h,.

3. The insurer has filed

avoid liability on tho. gI’01:1I1′.£:§:. ” vthaig t1’ie”‘~:%1s1;.:§ of the
workmen in question A. the policy
and also that.vtht~;:v_i;1co£iié /«» is on
higher scage’ ‘a1:3S§:13c§;–..” _’ ‘dzewcredible proof of
income add ‘ 3’3;

4′;-._ ivsflbsiantial questions of law
Wouki a,t*io*e*~«;fot*<:or1siLi1éi*.é§iion :
.__In flrie' context of fact statod above, whethor
" _t1f1§: risk of docoasod workroom is covered
_ * ,v'u;1dor the insurance policy issued by the
_ % " '~ . ._ _a_§:1{';:*r:'1iaI3t.

{T ‘ -o§’»”:7Ai’1€i:§1er the W133, CGII1i”IiiSSiOi1€i” $3 jusiifiefi

if} amassing the income of tho workmem at
R$,4,i3Gf;’a/~ oer month in the absence of

crodibk: proof ‘E’

In tile: instant. case, the deceased w*orkm¢1i, _ a:*e

obviously were not the inmates of the vek1ici<3__z3;'t't;§

policy does not cuver the . v§70r}::f:11e1″: ifl
qlififitiol}. ”

7. Sr; ;5*,.’N_. Swainjfi f11I”T}1€I’ contended that
in the abs§:1’i<';s:_ "'<)£'1-+.:A1*¢cii.':j§:'1e:_V}:ai*o.fV§:a:f3 income, the minimum
Wages _’1;:re:sc1*ib e:i:’Shou1ci.__B€ taken. The mirairnuzn Wages

prescribecffgjr, i’§3i6%3Bi period is Rs.Z?.,950/– par

V. A_ II1Offi§i1T1 fgfixi’ the fi9;:L2.r¢ of work ix: question.

‘ of the proviso to Sec. 147(1) mandates

336: empiayee in a goods carziage shczuid

3ta€L§¥.:;7rfl}? cztxvaraé. Th»: expression u.’ being carried in

A “:L:Li%:§hicie’ fifififi not be coflsisrued rigdly anti smicfiy, if

dfine, it vmuid defeat the very abject and purpose of

iegslafivs welfare paiicy. In the case of goods vehicie

{ha loading anfi urziaadiitxg ef goods. is an integai par: of

la

the transport activity. The cozltentioxa {hag ”

Wouid become liabie only when thc: employéé

death] injury while traveliirzg in t}fiéV€ie}*:§C’l’e xx-fiz§iI:i_

absurd proposition. Since the Idading i:n}céLciii;5_>;’

forms an integral and déiniiizzant ‘the

transport activity, the c>1′.’$>g*: sazvaid the iiabiliizy,

3 v With regard £3 ixlmme, the ciaimanis have 135;’:

_Mp£'<)d11ced credible proof cf the acting}. inmme.

fizerefsre, miz:i111um Wages of E-2s.2,'35G/- per merzth is:

be taken. $39/9 is be éaciuctefi. The racaknablfi wages

%/

Wcauld be 50% of Wage, which would be Rs. 14? V'

relevant factor in MFA 6048/07 is 226.3V8 .' .E£'f3§:x:§¢§{i§z."e; Q

the claimants in MFA 6048/07 's§(${1ld'E:zavez¢1":;i:ifié§i_\t§'9£:1f;$7

cen1pensax.iem cvf Rs.3,33,919.50/JRS. 14?f5_=;; '{225.'s=é§)';%V "

.10. The wages oijihe déc'<.§Vasé&::}..jwori{ina11":" i11 MFA
6850/O'? wouid be factor is

203.85. T1;c«;-gfgyre, % MFA 6850/{)7

would béy
}€s.3,Df};€$–;?8:'f5_/~" Liéjs x i2"0'3[8§;.

1 gr: vf;}"1€: wages 0f' the Workman to

ba c:;:1$idefea:§:V'at\.v"R$;14~;7;:'3/-. The raievané; factor is

"E'1ie'«_n1ed§.m<':é;1é apinion discioses that workmen

'3u:€:f3i§is§§;%. {ha aéisabiéiiy. Therefam, ihs ciaimani

i:1 "«E&?iF5?g' %§3$:;a*7 is erxiitiad to §s.1,2?,976.9@/w

X 215,91 X 4%; 2393,

12. 8:1 c:0mpeI1sati0n awaréed, {ha interest
mv

payable is 12% p.a., one month aft-:::* the accident tiii

42

5′ v’ V~tl”‘§s:~f; V COH1p€f1Safi0B <31" 5

1?:

. payment. The compensation awarded shall _
to the claimants from the axnourafig in .. “i£*ixces§ 2
amozmt found if an}; after di’3bt: 1fséméI1:”

refunded to the: appellant.

Amy’