THE DIVISIONAL MANAGER, ORIENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. v. SMT YALLAWWA LAKKAPPA NINGANNAVAR

the Learned counsel petitioners has relied upon the decision reported in 2004 SAR (Civil)-241(StC). The Hon’ble Supreme Court, at Para 83 and 84 of the Judgment, has held that, the Learner’s licence is also a licence within the meaning of the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Thus, a person holding a learner’s licence is also entitled to drive the type of vehicle for which he holds a learner’s licence. Further, at Para No.1 00(viii) it has been clearly held that if a vehicle at the time of accident was driven by a person having a learner’s licence, the Insurance Companies would be liable to satisfy the decree. Thus, as per this decision the present respondent No.2 - Company cannot liability of paying compensation on the ground that, respondent No.1 was holding only a learner’s licence to drive the motor cycle. iTo counter this decision, the Learned counsel for the I0 respondent No.2 has placed reliance on the decision reported in 2006 AC)- 1951 The Hon’ble High Court of Karnatakcz. has held that, if’ a motor cycle was driven by a person holding learner’s licence acconzpa n led by an in srnwtor ii,cl causes accide, t. the hi su ran ce C’ompany is exempted from the liability. Even, the rule pay and recover’ is also not available to the owner of the vehicle. The decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court noted above, prevails over the decision of the Hon ‘Me High Court 0/ Kars 1 at ci ka. There/tire, a bot.’e 11 otc’ci decision of the Hoit ‘Me Supreme Court has to be followed. ThereJbre, the respondent No.2 Company cannot avoid the liability on the ground that, the respondent No. I was holding a learner’s licence at the time of accident. Further the Learned counsel petitioners has placed reliance on the decision .4s per reported iii 2007 K.M..4.C 198 (Kursi). this decision, zf non-holding of a valid licence m e : ) 1 3 : 3 : 0 m m ) 3 3 3 ) 1 ) 2 / I L m 3 e : 3 : / ( m e ; 2 ) 1 ) 3 3 : 3 m m 3 : m m 3 3 . ) : ? 3 ) ? 3 3 ( ) 1 ( ) 1 : 3 3 : : ) 1 $ , - ) 0 m e , ; ’ m 2 e - ) 3 m e 3 : ) 3 ( ) 3 ) 1 $ — : 3 ) 1 1 3 : ) 3 . m e ( m , 3 e : I L m e , - 2 / 3 3 m e I L 3 : m m ‘ m e m e , . 3 : I L ) 3 ’ - 1 m m . ) ) 3 : ( “ 3 : 3 : 3 : m e . m e r 3 : 0 r 1 3 3 ( ) ’ 3 3 3 3 3 3 : ? 3 3 ( ) / ( ) 3 ( m e 3 3 ) 1 ) 3 ( . % - r m e 3 3 : . m e r m m ) 3 ( m m 2 / ( 1 ‘ 3 ( 3 3 3 3 : 0 . - ) ) 3 N e — ’ 3 ( I 3 ‘ : ) 1 ) 1 m ’ r ) 3 ( - m $ e - “ 0 . ( ? 3 ‘ - 1 3 : m m ( 3 : ) 1 $ . ; 2 ) 1 ‘ - ‘ m e r 1 3 0 3 3 ) / 3 3 ( ) 1 ( / 3 1 3 ’ 3 3 : ; 2 ) 1 r “ : 3 m e m m 1 3 ) 1 1 m e ; 2 ) 1 ’ m e : 3 : ) 3 ( , , m e , 3 3 3 ( ‘ , , , , 3 ( ) 3 $ - e m e m e . m e r ) 3 ( ) ? 3 ) 1 ( 0 ‘ 3 3 . _ m e r ) 3 3 : “ . — ) 2 / - ? 3 ( , m — e 1 3 m m m e a “ 3 $ 3 3 , 3 3 . m e r — ) / 1 . E m e 3 ) 3 ‘ ) ? 3 3 ( ) 3 3 : 3 : m m c ) 3 ( ) 2 / ) 3 m 3 1 3 3 3 1 3 ) 3 , 3 ( m m ) 1 ( ‘ 2 / ‘ ( m m ) 3 ( . I L 3 m : 2 e / m e ) c / 3 : 3 3 “ / 3 3 3 3 : 3 : 3 3 ) 1 3 : 3 : 1 3 ) ’ 3 1 3 m m e ’ 3 ) 1 ) 3 5 3 3 ‘ , 3 : 3 : 1 3 m m 3 : “ ) 3 ( m m : 3 1 3 m m ) 1 3 3 - E m e 3 : 1 m e 3 : 3 ( ; 2 3 ) ( m e 3 : m e . 3 : 3 ( 3 ( 3 ( ) 3 ( ? / 3 ) ? 3 3 ( 3 3 1 1 ” 2 / 3 ( 3 3 ( : 3 33 ( m e / 3 ( 3 3 ) 1 f m e — 1 3 3 ( m 3 m : m e r m e m e ’ I L ) 0 ) 3 $ 1 3 I - h T ( — 3 ( 3 3 : ) 3 ) / E3 o m e ‘ m m ) E 3 $ 1 3 3 : I L — I L 3 : ( 1 3 : 3 I L , m e 3 : 3 : I L 3 ( 1 1 i — , 1 3 3 : m e 3 0— ( [ ( 2 / ) / 3 — 3 ? 3 ( ) 0 m e r - 3 : r mH e ? 3 ( m e 3 : ) I ( I L m 3 J — 3 : 3 ( ) ? 3 3 : — - 3 ) 1 1 ) 1 1 3 N - , 3 : 1 3 n 1 3 ) ) 1 3 : 1 31 : ) 3 3 m m 1 3 3 ( ’ m e ’ 0 ) 1 ( : 1 3 3 3 ( ? 3 ( ) ’ 3 o 1 3 1 3 1 3 m e ) 3 m i , e . 1 3 3 ( : 3 : 1 ‘ 1 3 : ) : 3 : m e m — e m e . . ) 3 ) 1 3 m e , L 2 / 3 m m 3 : 1 3 : m m 2 9 f c 0 — Q x c ) —( 9C ) C — . 0 ) C j 2 9 4 — 4 ) 1 ) C - = ) C C( ( CE0j 2 9 . ) C - . j I ( C I ( , ) C C I ( — 0 — h T ) C — 0 z C ( 9 ( C ( ) C . 9 ( ( C ( ) C . 4 — i 2 1