The Supreme Court on Monday initiated a suo motu case regarding non-disbursement of compensation money lying with Labour Courts and Motor Accident Claims Tribunals across the country [In Re Compensation Amounts Deposited with Motor Accident Claims Tribunals and Labour Courts].
A Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih heard the PIL initiated based on an email sent to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud in May this year.
The Court today specifically issued notice to the Gujarat government and the Gujarat High Court after the plea highlighted that money to the tune of ₹2,000 crore payable to accident victims/ beneficiaries was lying with MACTs and Labour Courts in the State.
The two respondents were asked to file their responses by July 26 and submit data on the issue.
The order revealed that the email was sent on May 25 by retired district judge BB Pathak.
"In the meanwhile, the Law Secretary and the Registrar General of the High Court will take steps to collect the data of compensation amounts lying deposited with the Accident Claims Tribunal in the State as well as before the Labour Courts and the Commissioners under the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923", the Court also directed.
[Read order]