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Allahabad HC slams MACT for order to withhold insurance claim to woman
The court found that at a Lok Adalat on September 14, 2019, the HC had ordered the compensation amount be released within 60 days but the woman was yet to receive the amount
Taking a serious note of a Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) Sultanpur presiding officer not releasing an over ₹7 lakh insurance claim to a widow despite HC instruction for the same issued in 2019, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has sought an explanation from the presiding officer for the delay in payment to the petitioner.
Justice Jaspreet Singh passed the order on April 3 while hearing a petition filed by Renoo Singh seeking directives for payment of compensation amount. The court found that at a Lok Adalat on September 14, 2019, the high court had ordered the compensation amount be released within 60 days but the woman was yet to receive the amount even after six years.
The court said the record indicated that a dispute existed between the woman’s former and current lawyer and the MACT had passed an order that without hearing the woman’s previous lawyer, the amount should not be released.
“From a perusal of the order dated 06.02.2026, the manner and the content of the order passed by the Presiding Officer of the M.A.C.T Sultanpur indicating that without hearing the erstwhile counsel of the petitioner, the amount cannot be withdrawn and it is not acceptable and it raises a question that under what authority the Presiding Officer of the M.A.C.T Sultanpur could have passed such order,” the court said.
The court called it alarming that the tribunal had involved itself in the infighting between two counsel, adding that such situation cannot be countenanced at all. “Let explanation be furnished by the Presiding Officer by the next date,” it directed.
In September 2007, a compensation of ₹7.12 lakh was awarded to the woman under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, following her husband’s death in a road accident. The insurance company later appealed the decision but withdrew the same in September 2019. Lok Adalat then ordered payment of compensation to the widow within 60 days.
Calling it unfortunate that the woman was yet to receive the amount, the court said, “By means of the instant petition, the petitioner has raised an issue which reflects a very unhappy situation.” The matter was posted for next hearing on April 10.
