Motor Vehicles Act 1988
Section 163 :
1.[Refund in certain cases of compensation paid under section 161 :
(1) The payment of compensation in respect of the death of, or grievous hurt to, any person under section 161 shall be subject to the condition that if any compensation (hereafter in this sub-section referred to as the other compensation) or other amount in lieu of or by way of satisfaction of a claim for compensation is awarded or paid in respect of such death or grievous hurt under any other provision of this Act or any other law for the time being in force or otherwise, so much of the other compensation or other amount aforesaid as is equal to the compensation paid under section 161, shall be refunded to the insurer.
(2) Before awarding compensation in respect of an accident involving the death of, or bodily injury to, any person arising out of the use of a motor vehicle under any provision of this Act other than section 161 or any other law for the time being in force, the Claims Tribunal, court or other authority awarding such compensation shall verify as to whether in respect of such death or bodily injury compensation has already been paid under section 161 or an application for payment of compensation is pending under that section, and such Tribunal, court or other authority shall –
(a) if compensation has already been paid under section 161, direct the person liable to pay the compensation awarded by it to refund to the insurer, so much thereof as is required to be refunded in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1);
(b) if an application for payment of compensation is pending under section 161 forward the particulars as to the compensation awarded by it to the insurer.
Explanation :
For the purpose of this sub-section, an application for compensation under section 161 shall be deemed to be pending –
(i) if such application has been rejected, till the date of the rejection of the application; and
(ii) in any other case, till the date of payment of compensation in pursuance of the application.
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1. Substituted For Chapter XI by Act No. 32 of 2019, section 51 dated 9.8.2019.
Prior to this :
Scheme for payment of compensation in case of hit and run motor accidents :
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make a scheme specifying, the manner in which the scheme shall be administered by the General Insurance Corporation, the form, manner and the time within which applications for compensation may be made, the officers or authorities to whom such applications may be made, the procedure to be followed by such officers or authorities for considering and passing orders on such applications, and all other matters connected with, or incidental to, the administration of the scheme and the payment of compensation.
(2) A scheme made under sub-section (1) may provide that
(a) a contravention of any provision thereof shall be punishable with imprisonment for such term as may be specified but in no case exceeding three months, or with fine which may extend to such amount as may be specified but in no case exceeding five hundred rupees or with both;
(b) the powers, functions or duties conferred or imposed on any officer or authority by such scheme may be delegated with the prior approval in writing of the Central Government, by such officer or authority to any other officer or authority;
(c) any provision of such scheme may operate with retrospective effect from a date not earlier than the date of establishment of the Solatium Fund under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (4 of 1939), as it stood immediately before the commencement of this Act:
Provided that no such retrospective effect shall be given so as to prejudicially affect the interests of any person who may be governed by such provision.
[Section 163A :
Special provisions as to payment of compensation on structured formula basis :
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force or instrument having the force of law, the owner of the motor vehicle of the authorised insurer shall be liable to pay in the case of death or permanent disablement due to accident arising out of the use of motor vehicle, compensation, as indicated in the Second Schedule, to the legal heirs or the victim, as the case may be.
Explanation :
For the purposes of this sub-section, “permanent disability” shall have the same meaning and extent as in the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 (8 of 1923)
(2) In any claim for compensation under sub-section (1), the claimant shall not be required to plead or establish that the death or permanent disablement in respect of which the claim has been made was due to any wrongful act or neglect or default of the owner of the vehicle or vehicles concerned or of any other person.
(3) The Central Government may, keeping in view the cost of living by notification in the Official Gazette, from time to time amend the Second Schedule.]
[Section 163B :
Option to file claim in certain cases :
Where a person is entitled to claim compensation under section 140 and section 163A, he shall file the claim under either of the said sections and not under both.]