SC begins drive to ensure unclaimed payouts reach road accident victims

The Supreme Court has expressed concern over hundreds of crores of rupees lying unclaimed in Motor Accident Claims Tribunals and labour courts due to missing claimant information. To address this, the court directed High Courts to initiate extensive outreach programs to ensure that road accident victims and workers receive their entitled compensation.

NEW DELHI: As hundreds of crores of rupees deposited with Motor Accident Claims Tribunals and labour courts remain unclaimed due to the whereabouts and bank details of claimants (road accident victims and workers) being unknown, Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a slew of directions to ensure that the money reaches the claimants and also directed HCs to launch a massive drive to reach out to them. As per figures submitted to SC by different high courts , Rs 282 crore is unclaimed and lying in tribunals in Gujarat, Rs 459 crore in Maharashtra, and Rs 239 in UP. The amount lying in labour courts is also high.

"The issue is of great concern. The amounts represent the compensation granted to claimants in the claims filed under Motor Vehicles Act , 1988 and Workmen's Compensation Act, 1923. Though the claimants are held entitled to these amounts, they have not withdrawn the same.

The fact that so many successful claimants have been deprived of compensation is very disturbing. It is necessary to find a solution," said a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan..