{"id":182412,"date":"2009-04-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-04-12T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/ram-pal-vs-banwari-lal-ors-on-13-april-2009"},"modified":"2017-12-08T10:45:13","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T05:15:13","slug":"ram-pal-vs-banwari-lal-ors-on-13-april-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/ram-pal-vs-banwari-lal-ors-on-13-april-2009","title":{"rendered":"Ram Pal vs Banwari Lal &amp; Ors. on 13 April, 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Delhi High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Ram Pal vs Banwari Lal &amp; Ors. on 13 April, 2009<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: Kailash Gambhir<\/div>\n<pre>IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI\n\n                    FAO No. 516\/2001\n\n      Judgment reserved on:     1st April, 2008.\n\n      Judgment delivered on: 13.4.2009.\n\nRam Pal.                   ..... Appellant.\n\n                  Through: Mr. O.P. Goyal, Advocate.\n\n                      Versus\n\nBanwari Lal &amp; Ors.              ..... Respondents<\/pre>\n<p>                  Through: Mr. Amarjit Bedi, Adv. for R-1<br \/>\n                           to 3.\n<\/p>\n<p>                           Ms. Seema Sharma, Adv. for<br \/>\n                           R-4.\n<\/p>\n<p>                           Mr. Pankaj Seth, Adv. for R-6.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nCORAM:\n<\/p>\n<p>HON&#8217;BLE MR. JUSTICE KAILASH GAMBHIR,<\/p>\n<p>1.    Whether the Reporters of local papers may<br \/>\n      be allowed to see the judgment?               Yes<\/p>\n<p>2.    To be referred to Reporter or not?            Yes<\/p>\n<p>3.    Whether the judgment should be reported<br \/>\n      in the Digest?                                Yes<\/p>\n<p>KAILASH GAMBHIR, J. :\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>1.    The present appeal arises out of the award dated<\/p>\n<p>8.8.2001 of the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal whereby the<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                    Page 1 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n Tribunal awarded a sum of Rs.1,25,000\/- along with interest<\/p>\n<p>@ 9% per annum to the claimants. Appellant is the father of<\/p>\n<p>the deceased Sh. Jatinder Prakash @ Jatinder Prasad.<\/p>\n<p>2.    The brief conspectus of the facts is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>      That on 09.2.97 deceased Sh. Jatinder Prakash @<\/p>\n<p>Jatinder Prasad was travelling        in Maruti Van bearing<\/p>\n<p>registration      no.   DAE-3681   driven   by      one   Rakesh<\/p>\n<p>Khandelwal.       Smt. Alka, wife of Sh. Jatinder Prakash @<\/p>\n<p>Jatinder Prasad, Smt. Santra, wife of Sh. Ram Pal and Smt.<\/p>\n<p>Suresh, wife of Sh. Pratap Singh were also travelling in the<\/p>\n<p>said maruti car, which was going from Mathura to Delhi at a<\/p>\n<p>slow speed. At about 9:30PM, when the Maruti van reached<\/p>\n<p>near village Samri under Police Station Chhatta, District<\/p>\n<p>Mathura (U.P) and was on its extreme left side, a truck<\/p>\n<p>trailer bearing registration no. NL-01-A-2072 being driven<\/p>\n<p>by R1 rashly, recklessly and negligently in due course of his<\/p>\n<p>employment under R2 &amp; R3 came from the direction of<\/p>\n<p>Delhi and after coming on the wrong side, hit the Maruti van<\/p>\n<p>with a great force with the front of the trailer and the Maruti<\/p>\n<p>van was taken by the truck trailer to the left side of the road<\/p>\n<p>coming from Mathura and going towards Delhi. The vehicle<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                      Page 2 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n driven by R1 was loaded with Maruti vehicles and it came<\/p>\n<p>over the maruti van in which the deceased alongwith others<\/p>\n<p>was travelling and caused the death of abovesaid four<\/p>\n<p>occupants of the maruti van alongwith its driver.<\/p>\n<p>      A claim petition was filed on 29.8.97 and an award<\/p>\n<p>was passed, on 8.8.2001. Aggrieved with the said award<\/p>\n<p>enhancement is claimed by way of the present appeal.<\/p>\n<p>3.    Sh. O.P. Goyal, counsel for the appellants contended<\/p>\n<p>that the compensation of Rs.1,25,000\/- awarded by the<\/p>\n<p>tribunal is on the lower side and needs to be revised<\/p>\n<p>considering the various judicial decisions. It is stated that<\/p>\n<p>Ld. Tribunal did not notice various judicial decisions relevant<\/p>\n<p>in the instant case. The Ld. Tribunal ought to have awarded<\/p>\n<p>compensation of Rs.7,50,000\/- by taking the salary of the<\/p>\n<p>deceased @ Rs.2500\/- per month for a period of 25 years,<\/p>\n<p>the counsel contended. It is further urged that Ld. Tribunal<\/p>\n<p>should have awarded compensation for loss of services<\/p>\n<p>rendered by the deceased to the appellants @ Rs.3000\/- per<\/p>\n<p>month. The counsel further submitted that Ld. Tribunal<\/p>\n<p>should have awarded Rs.15,00,000\/- towards economic loss<\/p>\n<p>suffered by the appellant on account of death of late Sh.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                      Page 3 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n Jatinder Prakash @ Jatinder Prasad. It was urged by the<\/p>\n<p>counsel that the tribunal erred in not considering future<\/p>\n<p>prospects while computing compensation as it failed to<\/p>\n<p>appreciate that the deceased would have earned much<\/p>\n<p>more in near future as he was of 25 yrs of age only. In this<\/p>\n<p>regard the Ld. Counsel for the appellant placed reliance on<\/p>\n<p>the following cases:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>      (i)     Arun Sondhi vs. DTC, 1 (2201) ACC Page 615.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>      (ii)    All India Lawyers&#8217; Union Vs. Union of India, 2000<\/p>\n<p>                  ACJ Page 1006.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>      (iii)   M.S. Grewal &amp; Ors. Vs. Deep Chand Sood &amp; Ors.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>                  JT 2001 (7) SC Page 159<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>      (iv)    Lata Wadhwa &amp; others Vs. State of Bihar, 2001<\/p>\n<p>                  (5) SCALE Page 286.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>      (v)     Spring   Medos   Hospital     Vs.   Harjol   Ahluwalia<\/p>\n<p>                  decided by Hon&#8217;ble Supreme Court.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>4.    The counsel also raised the contention that the rate of<\/p>\n<p>interest allowed by the tribunal is on the lower side and the<\/p>\n<p>tribunal should have allowed simple interest @ 18 per<\/p>\n<p>annum in place of only @ 9% per annum. The counsel<\/p>\n<p>contended that the tribunal has erred in not awarding<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                         Page 4 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n compensation towards pain and sufferings undergone by<\/p>\n<p>the appellant due to death of his son.\n<\/p>\n<p>5.    Per Contra Mr. Pankaj Seth, counsel for respondent<\/p>\n<p>insurance company submitted that there is no illegality in<\/p>\n<p>the impugned award. Counsel further contended that award<\/p>\n<p>passed   by   the   Tribunal   is   absolutely       fair,   just   and<\/p>\n<p>reasonable and no fault can be found with the same.<\/p>\n<p>6.    I have heard the learned counsel for the parties and<\/p>\n<p>perused the record.\n<\/p>\n<p>7.    The assessment of damages to compensate the<\/p>\n<p>dependants is beset with difficulties because while doing so,<\/p>\n<p>many imponderables have to be taken in to account, e.g.,<\/p>\n<p>the life expectancy of the deceased and the dependants,<\/p>\n<p>the amount that the deceased would have earned during<\/p>\n<p>the remainder of his life, the amount that he would have<\/p>\n<p>contributed to the dependants during that period, the<\/p>\n<p>chances that the deceased may not have lived or the<\/p>\n<p>dependants may not live up to the estimated remaining<\/p>\n<p>period of their life expectancy, the chances that the<\/p>\n<p>deceased might have got better employment or income or<\/p>\n<p>might have lost his employment or income altogether. The<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                       Page 5 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n manner of arriving at the damages is to ascertain the net<\/p>\n<p>income of the deceased available for the support of himself<\/p>\n<p>and his dependants, and to deduct therefrom such part of<\/p>\n<p>his income as the deceased was accustomed to spend upon<\/p>\n<p>himself, as regards both self-maintenance and pleasure,<\/p>\n<p>and to ascertain what part of his net income the deceased<\/p>\n<p>was accustomed to spend for the benefit of the dependants.<\/p>\n<p>Then that should be capitalised by multiplying it by a figure<\/p>\n<p>representing the proper number of year&#8217;s purchase. In this<\/p>\n<p>relation, the Apex Court has held in plethora of judgments<\/p>\n<p>that the multiplier method is the best method.<\/p>\n<p>8.    In this regard in <a href=\"\/doc\/1683465\/\">G.M., Kerala SRTC v. Susamma<\/p>\n<p>Thomas,<\/a> (1994) 2 SCC 176 the Hon&#8217;ble Apex Court<\/p>\n<p>observed as under:\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>            &#8220;12. There were two methods adopted for<br \/>\n            determination and for calculation of compensation<br \/>\n            in fatal accident actions, the first the multiplier<br \/>\n            mentioned in Davies case3 and the second in<br \/>\n            Nance v. British Columbia Electric Railway Co. Ltd.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>            13.    The     multiplier   method     involves   the<br \/>\n            ascertainment of the loss of dependency or the<br \/>\n            multiplicand having regard to the circumstances of<br \/>\n            the case and capitalizing the multiplicand by an<br \/>\n            appropriate multiplier. The choice of the multiplier<br \/>\n            is determined by the age of the deceased (or that<br \/>\n            of the claimants whichever is higher) and by the<br \/>\n            calculation as to what capital sum, if invested at a<br \/>\n            rate of interest appropriate to a stable economy,<br \/>\n            would yield the multiplicand by way of annual<br \/>\n            interest. In ascertaining this, regard should also be<br \/>\n            had to the fact that ultimately the capital sum<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                          Page 6 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n             should also be consumed-up over the period for<br \/>\n            which the dependency is expected to last.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>            16. It is necessary to reiterate that the multiplier<br \/>\n            method is logically sound and legally well-<br \/>\n            established. There are some cases which have<br \/>\n            proceeded to determine the compensation on the<br \/>\n            basis of aggregating the entire future earnings for<br \/>\n            over the period the life expectancy was lost,<br \/>\n            deducted     a     percentage     therefrom    towards<br \/>\n            uncertainties of future life and award the resulting<br \/>\n            sum as compensation. This is clearly unscientific.<br \/>\n            For instance, if the deceased was, say 25 years of<br \/>\n            age at the time of death and the life expectancy is<br \/>\n            70 years, this method would multiply the loss of<br \/>\n            dependency for 45 years &#8212; virtually adopting a<br \/>\n            multiplier of 45 &#8212; and even if one-third or one-<br \/>\n            fourth is deducted therefrom towards the<br \/>\n            uncertainties of future life and for immediate lump<br \/>\n            sum payment, the effective multiplier would be<br \/>\n            between 30 and 34. This is wholly impermissible.<br \/>\n            We are, aware that some decisions of the High<br \/>\n            Courts and of this Court as well have arrived at<br \/>\n            compensation on some such basis. These decisions<br \/>\n            cannot be said to have laid down a settled<br \/>\n            principle. They are merely instances of particular<br \/>\n            awards in individual cases. The proper method of<br \/>\n            computation      is    the  multiplier-method.     Any<br \/>\n            departure, except in exceptional and extraordinary<br \/>\n            cases, would introduce inconsistency of principle,<br \/>\n            lack    of   uniformity     and     an    element    of<br \/>\n            unpredictability      for    the      assessment     of<br \/>\n            compensation. Some judgments of the High Courts<br \/>\n            have justified a departure from the multiplier<br \/>\n            method on the ground that Section 110-B of the<br \/>\n            Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 insofar as it envisages the<br \/>\n            compensation       to    be   &#8216;just&#8217;,   the   statutory<br \/>\n            determination of a &#8216;just&#8217; compensation would<br \/>\n            unshackle the exercise from any rigid formula. It<br \/>\n            must be borne in mind that the multiplier method<br \/>\n            is the accepted method of ensuring a &#8216;just&#8217;<br \/>\n            compensation which will make for uniformity and<br \/>\n            certainty of the awards. We disapprove these<br \/>\n            decisions of the High Courts which have taken a<br \/>\n            contrary view. We indicate that the multiplier<br \/>\n            method is the appropriate method, a departure<br \/>\n            from which can only be justified in rare and<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                           Page 7 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n             extraordinary circumstances and very exceptional<br \/>\n            cases.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>9.    In a decision of the Apex Court in Manjuri Bera v.<\/p>\n<p>Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd., (2007) 10 SCC 643<\/p>\n<p>             &#8220;12. As observed by this Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/1528864\/\">Custodian of<br \/>\n            Branches of BANCO National Ultramarino v. Nalini<br \/>\n            Bai Naique1 the<\/a> definition contained in Section<br \/>\n            2(11) CPC is inclusive in character and its scope is<br \/>\n            wide, it is not confined to legal heirs only. Instead it<br \/>\n            stipulates that a person who may or may not be<br \/>\n            legal heir competent to inherit the property of the<br \/>\n            deceased can represent the estate of the deceased<br \/>\n            person. It includes heirs as well as persons who<br \/>\n            represent the estate even without title either as<br \/>\n            executors or administrators in possession of the<br \/>\n            estate of the deceased. All such persons would be<br \/>\n            covered by the expression &#8220;legal representative&#8221;.<br \/>\n            As observed in Gujarat SRTC v. Ramanbhai<br \/>\n            Prabhatbhai2 a legal representative is one who<br \/>\n            suffers on account of death of a person due to a<br \/>\n            motor vehicle accident and need not necessarily be<br \/>\n            a wife, husband, parent and child.\n<\/p>\n<p>            13. There are several factors which have to be<br \/>\n            noted. The liability under Section 140 of the Act<br \/>\n            does not cease because there is absence of<br \/>\n            dependency. The right to file a claim application<br \/>\n            has to be considered in the background of right to<br \/>\n            entitlement. While assessing the quantum, the<br \/>\n            multiplier system is applied because of deprivation<br \/>\n            of dependency. In other words, multiplier is a<br \/>\n            measure. There are three stages while assessing<br \/>\n            the question of entitlement. Firstly, the liability of<br \/>\n            the person who is liable and the person who is to<br \/>\n            indemnify the liability, if any. Next is the<br \/>\n            quantification and Section 166 is primarily in the<br \/>\n            nature of recovery proceedings. As noted above,<br \/>\n            liability in terms of Section 140 of the Act does not<br \/>\n            cease because of absence of dependency.\n<\/p>\n<p>            15. Judged in that background where a legal<br \/>\n            representative who is not dependant files an<br \/>\n            application for compensation, the quantum cannot<br \/>\n            be less than the liability referable to Section 140 of<br \/>\n            the Act. Therefore, even if there is no loss of<br \/>\n            dependency the claimant if he or she is a legal<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                            Page 8 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n             representative will be entitled to compensation, the<br \/>\n            quantum of which shall be not less than the liability<br \/>\n            flowing from Section 140 of the Act. The appeal is<br \/>\n            allowed to the aforesaid extent.\n<\/p>\n<p>            &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;\n<\/p>\n<p>            In the impugned judgment the High Court has<br \/>\n            correctly drawn a distinction between &#8220;right to<br \/>\n            apply for compensation&#8221; and &#8220;entitlement to<br \/>\n            compensation&#8221;. The High Court has rightly held<br \/>\n            that even a married daughter is a legal<br \/>\n            representative and she is certainly entitled to claim<br \/>\n            compensation.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>10.   In view of the above discussion, as regards the income<\/p>\n<p>of the deceased it has come on record as per deposition of<\/p>\n<p>PW3, father of the deceased that the deceased was<\/p>\n<p>studying in the final year of graduation.          Vide Ex. PW3\/A,<\/p>\n<p>statement of marks of the deceased obtained in B.A. (I &amp; II)<\/p>\n<p>were proved also.      The deceased was giving tuitions and<\/p>\n<p>through it he used to earn Rs. 3,000\/- pm. It is no more res<\/p>\n<p>integra that mere bald assertions regarding the income of<\/p>\n<p>the deceased are of no help to the claimants in the absence<\/p>\n<p>of any reliable evidence being brought on record. The<\/p>\n<p>thumb rule is that in the absence of clear and cogent<\/p>\n<p>evidence pertaining to income of the deceased learned<\/p>\n<p>Tribunal should determine income of the deceased on the<\/p>\n<p>basis of the minimum wages notified under the Minimum<\/p>\n<p>Wages Act. Therefore, the tribunal ought to have assessed<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                          Page 9 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n the income of the deceased as that of a matriculate on the<\/p>\n<p>basis of the minimum wages notified under the Minimum<\/p>\n<p>Wages Act prevailing at the time of the accident i.e. at Rs.<\/p>\n<p>2,232\/- pm.<\/p>\n<p>11.      Furthermore, it has been the consistent view of this<\/p>\n<p>court that whenever aid of Minimum Wages Act is taken<\/p>\n<p>while computing income, then increase in minimum wages<\/p>\n<p>should also be considered. It is well settled that future<\/p>\n<p>prospects are not akin to increase in minimum wages. To<\/p>\n<p>neutralize increase in cost of living and price index, the<\/p>\n<p>minimum wages are increased from time to time. A perusal<\/p>\n<p>of the minimum wages notified under the Minimum Wages<\/p>\n<p>Act show that to neutralize increase in inflation and cost of<\/p>\n<p>living, minimum wages virtually double after every 10<\/p>\n<p>years.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>12.      Also, in the facts of the present case considering that<\/p>\n<p>prior to the accident the family of the appellant comprised<\/p>\n<p>of the deceased son, deceased wife and appellant himself, I<\/p>\n<p>feel that 1\/3 rd deductions should be made towards<\/p>\n<p>personal expenses of the deceased.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                       Page 10 of 13<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p> 13.    As regards the multiplier, this case pertains to the<\/p>\n<p>year 1997 and at that time II schedule to the Motor Vehicles<\/p>\n<p>act was already brought on the statute book. The age of the<\/p>\n<p>deceased at the time of the accident was 24 years and he is<\/p>\n<p>survived by his aged father who at the time of the accident<\/p>\n<p>was of 51 years of age. In the facts of the present case I am<\/p>\n<p>of the view that after looking at the age of the claimants<\/p>\n<p>and the deceased and after considering the multiplier<\/p>\n<p>applicable as per the II Schedule to the MV Act, the<\/p>\n<p>multiplier of 11 shall be applicable.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>14.     As regards the issue of interest that the rate of<\/p>\n<p>interest of 12% p.a. awarded by the tribunal is on the lower<\/p>\n<p>side and the same should be enhanced to 9% p.a., I feel<\/p>\n<p>that the rate of interest awarded by the tribunal is just and<\/p>\n<p>fair and requires no interference. No rate of interest is fixed<\/p>\n<p>under Section 171 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The<\/p>\n<p>Interest is compensation for forbearance or detention of<\/p>\n<p>money and that interest is awarded to a party only for being<\/p>\n<p>kept out of the money, which ought to have been paid to<\/p>\n<p>him. Time and again the Hon&#8217;ble Supreme Court has held<\/p>\n<p>that the rate of interest to be awarded should be just and<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                         Page 11 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n fair depending upon the facts and circumstances of the case<\/p>\n<p>and taking in to consideration relevant factors including<\/p>\n<p>inflation, policy being adopted by Reserve Bank of India<\/p>\n<p>from time to time and other economic factors. In the facts<\/p>\n<p>and circumstances of the case, I do not find any infirmity in<\/p>\n<p>the award regarding award of interest @ 9% pa by the<\/p>\n<p>tribunal and the same is not interfered with.<\/p>\n<p>15.     As regards non-pecuniary damages, compensation<\/p>\n<p>towards loss of love and affection is awarded at Rs. 10,000\/-<\/p>\n<p>; compensation towards funeral expenses is awarded at Rs.<\/p>\n<p>10,000\/- and compensation towards loss of estate is<\/p>\n<p>awarded at Rs. 10,000\/-.\n<\/p>\n<p>16.     On the basis of the discussion, the income of the<\/p>\n<p>deceased would come to Rs. 3,348\/- after doubling Rs.<\/p>\n<p>2,232\/- to Rs. 4,464\/- and after taking the mean of them.<\/p>\n<p>After   making    1\/3rd   deductions    the    monthly   loss   of<\/p>\n<p>dependency comes to Rs. 2,232\/- and the annual loss of<\/p>\n<p>dependency comes to Rs. 26,784\/- per annum and after<\/p>\n<p>applying multiplier of 11 it comes to Rs. 2,94,624\/-. Thus,<\/p>\n<p>the total loss of dependency comes to Rs. 2,94,624\/-. After<\/p>\n<p>considering Rs. 30,000\/-, which is granted towards non-<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                        Page 12 of 13<\/span><br \/>\n pecuniary damages, the total compensation comes out as<\/p>\n<p>Rs. 3,24,624\/-.\n<\/p>\n<p>17.       In   view   of   the   above   discussion,   the   total<\/p>\n<p>compensation is enhanced to Rs. 3,24,624\/- from Rs.<\/p>\n<p>1,25,000\/- with interest @ 7.5% per annum from the date of<\/p>\n<p>filing of the present petition till realisation and the same<\/p>\n<p>should be paid to the appellants by the respondent no. 3.<\/p>\n<p>18.     With the above direction, the present appeal is<\/p>\n<p>disposed of.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<pre>13.4.2009                          KAILASH GAMBHIR J.\n\n\n\n\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">FAO No.516\/2001                      Page 13 of 13<\/span>\n <\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delhi High Court Ram Pal vs Banwari Lal &amp; Ors. on 13 April, 2009 Author: Kailash Gambhir IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI FAO No. 516\/2001 Judgment reserved on: 1st April, 2008. Judgment delivered on: 13.4.2009. Ram Pal. &#8230;.. Appellant. Through: Mr. O.P. Goyal, Advocate. Versus Banwari Lal &amp; Ors. &#8230;.. Respondents [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-delhi-high-court","category-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Ram Pal vs Banwari Lal &amp; Ors. on 13 April, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/ram-pal-vs-banwari-lal-ors-on-13-april-2009\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ram Pal vs Banwari Lal &amp; 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