Mukund Dewangan v. Oriental Insurance Company Limited, reported in

Judgment

1. Rinki D/o Vidyadhar, Aged About 8 Years, R/o Kakda, Tehsil Buhana, District Jhunjhunu (Raj.) ----Claimant/Respondent

2. Bajaj Allianze General Insurance Company Limited, Head Quarter GE Plaza, Airport Road, Pune 411006. (Insurance Company of Vehicle Pickup HR-66-4807) ----Respondents For Appellant(s)

: Mr. Brahma Prakash, Adv. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Sparsh Bansal, Adv. for Mr. Akshay Sharma, Adv. HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHUTOSH KUMAR 26/03/2025 Order 1- vihykFkhZx.k }kjk ;g vihy /kkjk&173 eksVj okgu vf/kfu;e&1988 ds vUrxZr U;k;ky; eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k ¼vij ftyk U;k;k/kh'k½] [ksrM+h] ftyk&>qa>quw ¼jkt-½ ¼ftls vkxs ^vf/kdj.k* ds uke ls lacksf/kr fd;k tk,xk½ }kjk Dyse ;kfpdk la[;k&91@2010] fjadh cuke vthr flag o vU; esa ikfjr fu.kZ; fnukaad 25-10-2017 ¼ftls vkxs ^vk{ksfir fu.kZ;* ds uke ls lacksf/kr fd;k tk,xk½ ds fo#) izLrqr dh xbZ gSA [2025:RJ-JP:16503] (2 of 6) [CMA-1407/2018] 2- ekeys ds laf{kIr rF; bl izdkj ls gSa fd fnukad 18-04-2009 dks djhc 3%00 cts vkgrk fjadh vius ?kj ds lkeus [ksy jgh Fkh] rHkh fidvi la[;k&,pvkj&66&4807 dk pkyd vihykFkhZ la[;k&1 okgu mis{kk o ykijokgh ls pykdj yk;k o vkgrk fjadh ds VDdj ekj nh] ftlls fjadh pksVxzLr gks x;hA bl laca/k esa vkgrk fjadh }kjk vihykFkhZ la[;k&1 vthr flag okgu pkyd o okgu Lokeh rFkk jsLiksaMsaV uEcj&2 chek dEiuh ds fo#) Dyse ;kfpdk izLrqr dh] ftls Lohdkj djrs gq, fo}ku vf/kdj.k }kjk vkgrk fjadh ds i{k esa 3]12]800@& #i;s dk vokMZ ikfjr fd;k x;kA fdUrq ;g ikrs gq, fd iz'uxr okgu pkyd vihykFkhZ la[;k&1 vthr flag ds ikl oDr nq?kZVuk ^lkbZfdy fon fx;j* o ^ykbZV eksVj Oghdy* pykus dk rks ykbZlsal Fkk] fdUrq VªkaliksVZ okgu pykus dks ykbZlsal ugha Fkk rFkk oDr ?kVuk vihykFkhZ okgu pkyd VªkaliksVZ okgu pyk jgk Fkk] bl dkj.k chek dEiuh dks {kfriwfrZ jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds nkf;Ro ls mUeqDr djrs gq, okgu pkyd o okgu [email protected] ij {kfriwfrZ jkf'k vnk;xh dk nkf;Ro fu/kkZfjr fd;k gSA 3- nkSjkus cgl fo}ku vf/koDrk vihykFkhZx.k dk rdZ jgk gS fd gLrxr ekeys esa nq?kZVuk dkfjr djus okyk okgu LohÑr :i ls ^ykbZV xqM~l Oghdy* dh Js.kh dk gS rFkk fo}ku vf/kdj.k us ;g ekuk gS fd vihykFkhZ la[;k&1 iz'uxr okgu pkyd vthr flag ds ikl oDr ?kVuk gYdk eksVj;ku pykus dk ykbZlsal Fkk] fdUrq mlds ikl ifjogu okgu pykus dk ykbZlsal ughaa FkkA bl dkj.k bl ekeys esa chek dEiuh dks {kfriwfrZ jkf'k ds vnk;xh ds nkf;Ro ls mUeqDr djrs gq, {kfriwfrZ jkf'k dh vnk;xh dk nkf;Ro okgu pkyd o Lokeh ij Mkyk x;k gS tks =qfViw.kZ gSA vr% vihykFkhZx.k dh vksj ls izLrqr vihy Lohdkj dh tkdj {kfriwfrZ jkf'k [2025:RJ-JP:16503] (3 of 6) [CMA-1407/2018] vnk;xh dk nkf;Ro chek dEiuh ij Mkys tkus dh izkFkZuk dh x;h rFkk vihykFkhZx.k dks {kfriwfrZ jkf'k vnk;xh ds nkf;Ro ls mUeqDr fd;s tkus dk fuosnu fd;k x;kA vius rdksZa ds leFkZu esa fo}ku vf/koDrk vihykFkhZx.k }kjk U;k;ky; dk /;ku fuEu U;kf;d n`"Vkarksa dh vksj vkdf"kZr fd;k x;k %& ● Mukund Dewangan Vs. Oriental Insurance Company Limited, reported in 2017(2) RAR 41 (S.C.) & ● M/s Bajaj Alliance General Insurance Co. Ltd. Vs. Rambha Devi & Ors., reported in 2024 INSC 840. 4- blds foijhr fo}ku vf/koDrk chek dEiuh dh vksj ls vihykFkhZx.k ds mijksDr rdksZa dk fojks/k djrs gq, vf/kdj.k }kjk ikfjr fu.kZ; dh iqf"V fd;s tkus rFkk vihykFkhZx.k dh vksj ls lafLFkr dh x;h vihy dks fujLr fd;s tkus dh izkFkZuk dh x;hA 5- 6- cgl lquh x;hA i=koyh dk voyksdu fd;k x;kA fo}ku vf/koDrk vihykFkhZx.k dh vksj ls U;k;ky; dk /;ku mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk ikfjr U;kf;d n`"Vkar eqdqan nsokaxu ¼mijksDr½ dh vksj vkdf"kZr djrs gq, O;Dr fd;k gS fd ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; us mDr U;kf;d n`"Vkar esa ;g fl)kUr izfrikfnr fd;k gS fd 7]500 fdyks rd Hkkj okyk okgu gYdk eksVj;ku dh Js.kh esa vkrk gSA mDr ;ku Hkys gh ifjogu ;ku gh D;ksa u gks rFkk ftl O;fDr ds ikl gYdk eksVj;ku pykus dk MªkbZfoax ykbZlsal ekStwn gS] og gYdk ifjogu ;ku pykus ds fy, Hkh v/khÑr gSA ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; us eqdqan nsokaxu ¼mijksDr½ ds ekeys esa ;g fl)kUr izfrikfnr fd;k gS fd %& "46. Section of the Act requires a driver to hold a licence with respect to the class of vehicles and not with respect to the type of vehicles. In one class of vehicles, there may be different kinds of vehicles. If they fall in the same class of vehicles, no separate endorsement is required to drive such vehicles. As light motor [2025:RJ-JP:16503] (4 of 6) [CMA-1407/2018] vehicle includes transport vehicle also, a holder of light motor vehicle licence can drive all the vehicles of the class including transport vehicles. It was pre-amended psoition as well the post-amended position of Form 4 as Any other amended on 28.3.2001. interpretation would be repugnant to the definition of "light motor vehicle" in Section 2(21) and the provisions of Section 10(2)(d), Rule 8 of the Rules of 1989, other provisions and also the forms which are in tune with the provisions. Even otherwise the forms never intended to exclude transport vehicles from the category of 'light motor vehicles' and for light motor vehicle, the validity period of such licence hold good and apply for the transport vehicle of such class also and the expression in Section 10(2)(e) of the Act 'Transport Vehicle' would include medium goods vehicle, medium passenger motor vehicle, heavy goods vehicle, heavy passenger motor vehicle which earlier found place in Section 10(2)(e) to (h) and our conclusion is fortified by the syllabus and rules which we have discussed. Thus we answer the questions which are referred to us thus: (i) 'Light motor vehicle' as defined in Section 2(21) of the Act would include a transport vehicle as per the weight prescribed in Section 2(21) read with Section 2(15) and 2(48). Such transport vehicles are not excluded from the definition of the light motor vehicle by virtue of Amendment Act No.54/1994. (ii) A transport vehicle and omnibus, the gross vehicle weight of either of which does not exceed 7500 kg. would be a light motor vehicle and also motor car or tractor or a road roller, 'unladen weight' of which does not exceed 7500 kg. and holder of a driving licence to drive class of "light motor vehicle" as provided in Section 10(2)(d) is competent to drive a transport vehicle or omnibus, the gross vehicle weight of which does not exceed 7500 kg. or a motor car or tractor or road-roller, the "unladen weight" of which does not exceed 7500 kg. That is to say, no separate [2025:RJ-JP:16503] (5 of 6) [CMA-1407/2018] 'transport endorsement on the licence is required to drive a transport vehicle of light motor vehicle class as enumerated above. A licence issued under Section 10(2)(d) continues to be valid after Amendment Act No.54/1994 and 28.3.2001 in the form. (iii) The effect of the amendment made by virtue of Act No.54/1994 w.e.f. 14.11.1994 while substituting clauses (e) to (h) of Section 10(2) which contained "medium goods vehicle" in Section 10 (2)(e), medium passenger motor vehicle in Section 10(2)(f), heavy goods vehicle in Section 10(2)(g) and "heavy passenger motor vehicle"in Section 10(2)(h) with expression vehicle'as substituted in secion 10(2)(e) related only to the aforesaid substituted classes only. It does not exclude transport vehicle, from the purview of Section (10)(2)(d) and Section 2(41) of the Act i.e. light motor vehicle. (IV) The effect of amendment of Form 4 by insertion of "transport vehicle" is related only to the categories which were substituted in the year 1994 and the procedure to obtain driving licence for transport vehicle of class of "light motor vehicle" continues to be the same as it was and has not been changed and there is no requirement to obtain separate endorsement to drive transport vehicle, and if a driver is holding licence to drive light motor vehicle, he can drive transport vehicle of such class without any endorsement to that effect. 7- eqdqan nsokaxu ¼mijksDr½ okys ekeys esa ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; ds izfrikfnr fl)kUr dks o`gn ihB esa pqukSrh nh x;h gSA ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; dh o`gn ihB esa eSllZ ctkt vkfy;kat tujy ba';ksjasl dEiuh fyfeVsM cuke jEHkk nsoh o vU; ¼mijksDr½ o vU; ekeyksa }kjk pqukSrh nh x;hA ftldh ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk fnukad 06-11-2024 dks ikfjr fu.kZ; esa ikap lnL;h; ihB }kjk eqdqan nsokaxu ¼mijksDr½ ds ekeys dh laiqf"V dh gSA [2025:RJ-JP:16503] (6 of 6) [CMA-1407/2018] 8- ,slh fLFkfr esa pwafd iz'uxr okgu ,pvkj&66&4807 fidvi gYdk eksVj;ku dh Js.kh esa gSA bls pykus dk oS/k o izHkkoh MªkbZfoax ykbZlsal] vihykFkhZ la[;k&1 vthr flag ds ikl ekStwn FkkA ,slh fLFkfr esa fo}ku vf/kdj.k }kjk ikfjr fu.kZ;] bl lhek rd vikLr fd;k tkrk gS] ftlesa fo}ku vf/kdj.k us chek dEiuh dks {kfriwfrZ ds vnk;xh ds nkf;Ro ls mUeqDr fd;k gSA 9- ifj.kker% vihykFkhZx.k }kjk izLrqr vihy vkaf'kd :i ls Lohdkj dh tkrh gS rFkk jsLiksaMsaV uEcj&2 chek dEiuh dks vkns'k fn;k tkrk gS fd og U;k;ky; eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k ¼vij ftyk U;k;k/kh'k½] [ksrM+h] ftyk&>qa>quw ¼jkt-½ }kjk Dyse ;kfpdk la[;k&91@2010] fjadh cuke vthr flag o vkfn ds ekeys esa ikfjr fu.kZ; o vkns'k dh ikyuk esa leLr jkf'k DysesaV&jsLiksaMsaV fjadh dks vnk djsA 10- rnuqlkj ;g vihy fuLrkfjr dh tkrh gSA 11- lHkh yfEcr izkFkZuk&i=ksa dks Hkh mijksDrkuqlkj fuLrkfjr fd;k tkrk gSA LOKESH RAJ /69 (ASHUTOSH KUMAR),J