CLX-RAJ-HC-2026-006031

Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. - Appellant Versus Kamla Bai and Others (Smt.) - Respondents

Rajasthan High Court · Rajasthan

Partly Allowed

Core ratio / Key holding

The retrospective enhancement of the rate of interest for default in payment of compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which effectively amounts to a penal interest, is not envisaged by the Act and is liable to be set aside.

Headnote

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 - S.173 - Compensation - Interest - Penal Interest

Issues for determination

  • Whether the Tribunal and Single Judge acted illegally in awarding penal interest at 15% per annum in default of payment of compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988?

Ratio decidendi

  • The retrospective enhancement of the rate of interest for default in payment of compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which effectively amounts to a penal interest, is not envisaged by the Act and is liable to be set aside.

Important points

  • Held, the Tribunal's award of 15% penal interest for default in payment of compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is set aside, affirming 12% interest.

Keywords

Motor Vehicles ActPenal InterestCompensationInsurance CompanyRate of Interest

Related orders from this authority

Read the full order on ClaimLex

Get the complete order text, a licence-stamped PDF, the citator (which orders cite this one), AI-powered answers, and save it to your matters.

Editorial summary prepared by ClaimLex — for reference only, not the official record. Please refer to the original order issued by the authority for the authoritative text.