SC: Dependent mother-in-law can get payout for man’s death

SC: Dependent mother-in-law can get payout for man’s death

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:26.10.2021

Holding that Motor Vehicles (MV) Act should be given a wider interpretation and all dependents of a deceased be allowed to claim compensation, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that a dependent mother-in-law is also entitled to claim in case of death of her son-in-law.

“In our view, the term ‘legal representative’ should be given a wider interpretation for the purpose of Chapter XII of MV Act and it should not be confined only to mean the spouse, parents and children of the deceased. As noticed above, MV Act is a benevolent legislation enacted for the object of providing monetary relief to the victims or their families. Therefore, the MV Act calls for a liberal and wider interpretation to serve the real purpose underlying the enactment and fulfil its legislative intent,” a bench of Justices S Abdul Nazeer adn Krishna Murari said.

“We are also of the view that in order to maintain a claim petition, it is sufficient for the claimant to establish his loss of dependency,” it said.