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Supreme Court Of India

(From : Punjab and Haryana)*

Hon'ble Judge(s): Dipak Misra, A. M. Khanwilkar, D. Y. Chandrachud , JJJ

(A) Motor Vehicles Act (59 of 1988) , S.2(30)— Owner - Is person in whose name motor vehicle stands registered - In case of minor, guardian of minor would be treated as owner. (Para 12) (B) Motor Vehicles Act (59 of 1988) , S.166, S.2(30), S.50— Compensation - Liability of owner - Registered owner purportedly transferring vehicle but continuing to be reflected as owner in records of registering authority - Liability of registered owner to pay compensation would not be absolved. In instant case, registered owner has purported to transfer vehicle multiple times but continue to be reflected in records of registering authority as owner of vehicle, he would not stand absolved of liability. Parliament has consciously introduced definition of expression 'owner' in S. 2(30), making departure from provisions of S. 2(19) in earlier Act of 1939. Principle underlying provisions of S. 2(30) is that victim of motor accident or, in case of death, legal heirs of deceased victim should not be left in state of uncertainty. Claimant for compensation ought not to be burdened with following trail of successive transfers, which are not registered with registering authority. To hold otherwise would @page-SC984 be to defeat salutary object and....