CHENNAI: Accepting recommendations of an expert panel headed by Justice K Chandru, retired judge of the HC, the Madras High Court has ruled that compensation for family member(s) of accident victims shall be paid only through Motor Accidents Claims Annuity Deposit (MACAD) Scheme.
Whether it is a contested case before the competent court or a compromised case through Lok Adalats or mediation centres, this scheme should be adopted from Oct 1, Justice P N Prakash said granting time to the authorities concerned to set up logistics.
Under the scheme, the compensation will be deposited only in the bank account of the claimant to avoid leakage. The claimant can have a regular monthly income. He/she/they will be entitled to lump payments, upon proof of need/justification before the court concerned, in exceptional circumstances. But the rule will be to deposit compensation in annuities scheme to ensure that the claimants have control over the compensation and lives, to avoid the same being dissipated.
The judge was passing final orders on a petition filed by Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited, which alleged fabrication of FIRs and existence of double/duplicate claims arising from cut-throat competition between insurance firms and greedy lawyers.
The judge also directed State Crime Records Bureau, handling the detailed accident report regime, to follow the routine on the police website, by authenticated uploading of documents about redressal of stake-holders’ grievances.