Enforce scheme for compensation in accidents caused by uninsured vehicles within six months: Delhi HC to Centre

The plea further sought various amendments under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, in order to ensure that a victim gets compensation even if the accident is caused by an uninsured vehicle and in hit-and-run cases. It also sought a direction to the Centre to explain the measures adopted by them since 2009 to curb the menace of uninsured vehicles plying on road, those driving without effective and valid driving licenses, fake driving licenses, and drunken driving.

The family drew the court’s attention to certain provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, which were recently inserted and submitted that “now a scheme is in place for granting compensation to the road accident victims even if the accident causing vehicle is uninsured”. It was argued that even though the law provides for this, the Government of India has “yet not framed any rules or guidelines in this respect”.

The Centre submitted the new provisions were inserted through an amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act which has come into force with effect from April 1, 2022, and, therefore, “some breathing time be granted to the Union of India” to ensure the implementation of the provisions throughout the country.

Considering the Centre’s submission the High Court in its January 11 decision directed, “Resultantly, as the statute provides for a remedy for grant of compensation to the road accident victims even if the accident causing vehicle is uninsured as well as in the accidents caused by hit-and-run cases, Union of India is granted six months’ time to enforce the provisions which are now in the statute books,” said the court and disposed of the plea.