BENCH AT JAIPUR v. Ajmer Raj

Kushal Singh S/o Shri Heera Singh, R/o Village And Post Lotiyana Tehsil Beawar District Ajmer. Driver Of The Tanker No. Gj-06-X-8599 (Since Deceased)

2. Rasik Lal S/o Shri Varaj Lal Kotal R/o Wadinath Dada Temple Ranoli Nh Padamalaya Village Proprietor M/s Bhavik Bulk Carrier office Ranoli IPCL, in front of JD State, Dashrath District Barodara Gujarat Owner Of The Tanker No. Gj-06-X-8599

3. The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. Branch Office 201/202, Paradise Complex, Sayajiganj, Barodara (Gujrat)-39005 at present inside Ajmer Gate, Beawar, District Ajmer Having Its Regional Office At Anand Bhawan, Sansar Chandra Road, M.i. Road, Jaipur insurer Of The Tanker No. Gj-06-X-8599 ----Respondents For Appellant(s) : Mr. Jaiprakash Gupta, Adv. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Rakesh Dhankar, Adv. HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE UMA SHANKER VYAS [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (2 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] Judgment / Order 27/03/2026 1- vihykFkhZ&nkosnkj ¼vkxs ^^nkosnkj^^ dgk tkosxk½ dh vksj ls ;g vihy /kkjk 30 deZdkj {kfriwfrZ vf/kfu;e] 1923 ¼vkxs ^^vf/kfu;e&1923^^ dgk tkosxk½ ds rgr fo}ku U;k;ky; vk;qDr deZpkjh {kfriwfrZ vf/kfu;e] 1923] vtesj ,oa Je U;k;ky;] vtesj dSai dksVZ C;koj }kjk izdj.k E.C.A.F. No. 04/2015 esa ikfjr fu.kZ; fnukad 02-08-2016 ls O;fFkr gksdj is'k dh gS ftlds ek/;e ls nkosnkjksa dks dqy 1]86]209@& :i;s e; 12 izfr'kr C;kt lfgr izfrdj fnyk;k gSA 2- fo}ku vf/koDrk nkosnkjku dk fuosnu gS fd fnukad 16-11-1999 ls 20-07-2004 rd vdq'ky Jfed dh U;wure etnwjh nj 1560@& :i;s Fkh] nq?kZVuk fnukad 01-05-2004 dks gqbZ gS rFkk fnukad 20-07-2004 ls U;wure etnwjh nj cnydj 1898@& :i;s gqbZ gS] ysfdu iwoZorhZ nj Hkh ekuh tkos rc Hkh 26 fnu ds LFkku ij 30 fnu dh etnwjh ds vk/kkj ij izfrdj jkf'k dh x.kuk dh tkdj izfrdj fnyk;k tkuk visf{kr FkkA 3- mudk ;g Hkh fuosnu gS fd deZdkj {kfriwfrZ vf/kfu;e] 1923 ¼vkxs ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dgk tkosxk½ dh /kkjk 4, ds rgr fu;kstd dks vius nkf;Ro dh jkf'k rhl fnol esa tek djkuk visf{kr gS] ;fn rhl fnol esa ;g jkf'k tek ugha djkbZ tkrh gS vkSj foyEc ds dksbZ mfpr vk/kkj ugha gS rks 'kkfLr dh jkf'k fu;kstd ij vf/kjksfir fd;k tkuk vko';d gS tcfd bl laca/k esa fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk dksbZ fopkj ugha fd;k x;k gS] vr% bl lhek rd vihyk/khu fu.kZ; fof/klEer ugha gksuk crkrs gq, 'kkfLr dh jkf'k fnyk;s tkus dk fuosnu fd;kA 4- fo}ku vf/koDrk izR;FkhZ dk fuosnu gS fd 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir fd;s tkus dk fo"k; fopkj.k U;k;ky; ds foosdkf/kdkj dk gS] ;fn 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir dh tkrh gS rks fu;ksDrk dks lquokbZ dk volj nsdj U;k;ky; dk lek/kku gksuk vko';d gSA orZeku ekeys esa dksbZ 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir ugha dh x;h gS] vr% vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gSA [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (3 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] 5- ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dh /kkjk 4, dk lqlaxr Hkkx fuEukuqlkj gS%& 5[4A. Compensation to be paid when due and penalty for default.— (1) Compensation under section 4 shall be paid as soon as it falls due. (2) In cases where the employer does not accept the liability for compensation to the extent claimed, he shall be bound to make provisional payment based on the extent of liability which he accepts, and, such payment shall be deposited with the Commissioner or made to the 2[employee], as the case may be, without prejudice to the right of the 2[employee] to make any further claim. 6[(3) Where any employer is in default in paying the compensation due under this Act within one month from the date it fell due, the Commissioner shall— (a) direct that the employer shall, in addition to the amount of the arrears, pay simple interest thereon at the rate of twelve per cent. per annum or at such higher, rate not exceeding the maximum of the lending rates of any scheduled bank as may be specified by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette, on the amount due; and (b) if, in his opinion, there is no justification for the delay, direct that the employer shall, in addition to the amount of the arrears and interest thereon, pay a further sum not exceeding fifty per cent. of such amount by way of penalty: Provided that an order for the payment of penalty shall not be passed under clause (b) without giving a reasonable opportunity to the employer to show cause why it should not be passed........ 6- mijksDr izko/kkuksa ds voyksdu ls Li"V gS fd ;fn fu;kstd }kjk rhl fnol esa vius nkf;Ro dh izfrdj jkf'k dh vnk;xh ugha dh xbZ gS] rks ,slh fLFkfr esa C;kt ds laca/k esa vkKkid izko/kku gS ysfdu 'kkfLr ds laca/k esa foosdkRed 'kfDr;ka l{ke izkf/kdkjh dks nh xbZ gS rFkk ;g izko/kku fd;k x;k gS fd ;fn U;k;ky; ;g ikrk gS fd rhl fnol dh vof/k esa izfrdj jkf'k vnk ugha fd;s tkus ds laca/k esa dksbZ larks"ktud dkj.k ugha gS rks ,slh fLFkfr esa 'kkfLr dh jkf'k vf/kjksfir D;ksa ugha dh tkos] bl laca/k esa fu;ksDrk dks lquokbZ dk volj nsdj 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir dh tk ldrh gS] [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (4 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] vr% Li"V gS fd 'kkfLr ds laca/k esa izko/kku vkKkid ugha gksdj foosdkRed gSA 7- fo}ku vf/koDrk vihykFkhZx.k&nkosnkjku dh vksj ls U;kf;d fu.kZ; Sheela Devi & Anr. Vs. Oriental Insurance Company Limited & Anr. 2025 INSC 516 izLrqr fd;k] ftldk llEeku voyksdu fd;k x;kA mijksDr ekeys esa ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** ds rgr vk;qDr }kjk izfrdj jkf'k ij 30 izfr'kr 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir dh xbZ Fkh] ftls mPp U;k;ky; }kjk ?kVkrs gq, dqy 30]000@&:i;s 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir dh xbZ] ftls ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; esa pqukSrh nh xbZA ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk ;g vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k gS fd mPp U;k;ky; }kjk 'kkfLr dh jkf'k dks ?kVkus dk dksbZ vkSfpR;iw.kZ vk/kkj ugha Fkk vkSj bl lhek rd mPp U;k;ky; }kjk ikfjr vkns'k dks vikLr fd;k x;kA orZeku ekeys esa 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir gh ugha dh xbZ gS] vr% ,slh fLFkfr esa rF;ksa esa fHkUurk ds dkj.k ls mijksDr U;kf;d fu.kZ; vihykFkhZ dks ykHk igqapkus dh fLFkfr esa ugha gSA 8- vU; U;kf;d fu.kZ; Ved Prakash Garg Vs. Premi Devi and Ors. (1997) 8 SCC 1 esa ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** ds lanHkZ esa ;g O;oLFkk izfrikfnr dh gS fd izfrdj jkf'k] C;kt rFkk 'kkfLr rhuksa vyx&vyx gSa rFkk ;fn fu;kstd }kjk chek doj izkIr dj j[kk gS rks chek daiuh izfrdj jkf'k ,oa C;kt ds fy, nkf;Rok/khu gS] 'kkfLr dh jkf'k izfrdj ls vyx gS vkSj mlds fy, chek daiuh nkf;Rok/khu ugha gksdj ek= fu;kstd gh nkf;Rok/khu gksxkA 9- vihy ds laca/k esa ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dh /kkjk 30 ds izko/kku lqlaxr gSa] tks fuEukuqlkj gS%&

30. Appeals.—(1) An appeal shall lie to the High Court from the following orders of a Commissioner, namely:— (a) an order awarding as compensation a lump sum whether by way of redemption of a halfmonthly payment or otherwise or disallowing a claim in full or in part for a lump sum; 1[(aa) an order awarding interest or penalty under section 4A;] [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (5 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] (b) an order refusing to allow redemption of a half- monthly payment; (c) an order providing for the distribution of compensation among the dependants of a deceased 2[employee], or disallowing any claim of a person alleging himself to be such dependant; (d) an order allowing or disallowing any claim for the amount of an indemnity under the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 12; or (e) an order refusing to register a memorandum of agreement or registering the same or providing for the registration of the same subject to conditions: Provided that no appeal shall lie against any order unless a substantial question of law is involved in the appeal and, in the case of an order other than an order such as is referred to in clause (b), unless the amount in dispute in the appeal is not less than 3[ten thousand rupees or such higher amount as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify]: Provided, further, that no appeal shall lie in any case in which the parties have agreed to abide by the decision of the Commissioner, or in which the order of the Commissioner gives effect to an agreement come to by the parties: 4[Provided further that no appeal by an employer under clause (a) shall lie unless the memorandum of appeal is accompanied by a certificate by the Commissioner to the effect that the appellant has deposited with him the amount payable under the order appealed against.] (2) The period of limitation for an appeal under this section shall be sixty days. (3) The provisions of section 5 of 3 5[the Indian Limitation Act, 1963 (36 of 1963)] shall be applicable to appeals under this section. 10- ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dh /kkjk 30 ds izko/kkuksa ds voyksdu ls Li"V gS fd /kkjk 30¼1½¼a½ ls ¼e½ esa of.kZr vk/kkjksa ij gh vihy dh tk ldrh gS] vU;Fkk vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gS] ijarqd ds vuqlkj ;g O;oLFkk dh xbZ gS fd /kkjk 30¼1½¼a½ ls ¼e½ esa of.kZr vk/kkjksa ij ;fn vihy dh tkrh gS vkSj mlesa fof/k dk dksbZ lkjoku iz'u varoZfyr ugha gS] rks ,slh fLFkfr esa vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gksxhA /kkjk 30¼1½¼aa½ esa ;g izko/kku fd;k x;k gS fd ;fn 'kkfLr dh jkf'k vf/kjksfir dh tkrh gS rks mlds fo:) vihy gks ldrh gSA 'kkfLr dh jkf'k vf/kjksfir ugha fd;s tkus ds vkns'k ds fo:) vihy iks"k.kh; gks] ,slh fLFkfr izdV ugha gksrh gSA tSlk fd Åij foospu [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (6 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] fd;k x;k gS fd izfrdj jkf'k ls 'kkfLr dh jkf'k fHkUu gS] nksuksa en i`Fkd&i`Fkd gSaA 11- ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Vs. Smt. Sujatha (2019) 11 SCC 514 ds ekeys esa ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dh /kkjk 30 ds izko/kkuksa ij fopkj djus ds mijkar ;g O;oLFkk nh gS fd tc rd fof/k dk lkjoku iz'u varoZfyr ugha gks] rc rd vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gksxhA bl fu.kZ; ds iSjk la[;k&9] 10] 11 o 12 lqlaxr gS] tks fuEukuqlkj gSa%&

9. At the outset, we may take note of the fact, being a settled principle, that the question as to whether the employee met with an accident, whether the accident occurred during the course of employment, whether it arose out of an employment, how and in what manner the accident occurred, who was negligent in causing the accident, whether there existed any relationship of employee and employer, what was the age and monthly salary of the employee, how many are the dependents of the deceased employee, the extent of disability caused to the employee due to injuries suffered in an accident, whether there was any insurance coverage obtained by the employer to cover the incident etc. are some of the material issues which arise for the just decision of the Commissioner in a claim petition when an employee suffers any bodily injury or dies during the course of his employment and he/his LRs sue/s his employer to claim compensation under the Act. 10. The afore-mentioned questions are essentially the questions of fact and, therefore, they are required to be proved with the aid of evidence. Once they are proved either way, the findings recorded thereon are regarded as the findings of fact. 11. The appeal provided under Section 30 of the Act to the High Court against the order of the Commissioner lie only against the specific orders set out in clause (a) to (e) of Section 30 of the Act with a further rider contained in first proviso to the Section that the appeal must involve substantial question of law. 12. In other words, the appeal provided under Section 30 of the Act to the High Court against the order of the Commissioner is not like a Regular First Appeal akin to Section 96 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 which can be heard both on facts and law. The appellate jurisdiction of the High Court to decide the appeal is confined only to examine the substantial questions of law arising in the case. [2026:RJ-JP:12795] (7 of 7) [CMA-6704/2016] 12- ^^vf/kfu;e&1923** dh /kkjk 30 esa of.kZr vk/kkjksa ij gh vihy dh tk ldrh gSA /kkjk 30 esa vf/kfu;e la[;k&8 o"kZ 1959 ds ek/;e ls /kkjk 30¼1½¼aa½ la'kks/ku ds ek/;e ls tksM+rs gq, ;g izko/kku fd;k x;k gS fd 'kkfLr dh jde vf/kjksfir fd;s tkus ds vkns'k ds fo:) vihy gks ldrh gS] ;fn fo/kkf;dk dk ;g vk'k; jgk gksrk fd 'kkfLr vf/kjksfir ugha fd;s tkus ds vkns'k ds fo:) Hkh vihy gks ldrh gS] rks ,slk la'kks/ku fd;k tk ldrk FkkA blds vykok ekeys esa fof/k dk dksbZ lkjoku iz'u Hkh varoZfyr ugha gS] ,slh fLFkfr esa ;g vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gksus ls [kkfjt gksus rFkk vihyk/khu fu.kZ; iq"V gksus ;ksX; gSA 13- tgka rd izfrdj jkf'k dh ek=k dk iz'u gS] ;g fookn Hkh rF; dk fo"k; gS] bl izdkj ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; ds mijksDr fu.kZ; North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation ds vuqlkj bl fcUnq ij Hkh ;g vihy iks"k.kh; ugha gSA 14- ifj.kker% vihykFkhZx.k&nkosnkjku dh vksj ls izLrqr ;g vihy [kkfjt dh tkrh gS rFkk vihyk/khu vokMZ o fu.kZ; fnukad 02-08-2016 dh iqf"V dh tkrh gSA LFkxu vkosnu o vU; vkosnu] ;fn dksbZ yafcr gksa] rks os Hkh mDrkuqlkj fuLrkfjr fd;s tkrs gSaA 15- fo}ku fopkj.k U;k;ky; dk vfHkys[k] ;fn izkIr gks j[kk gS] rks vkns'k dh izfr ds lkFk izsf"kr fd;k tkosA Mittal /24 (UMA SHANKER VYAS),J