Describing homemakers as ‘nation builders’, the Supreme Court on Thursday said that loss of wife’s domestic care should be monetised at a minimum of Rs 30,000 a month.
A Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N Kotiswar Singh held that the loss of domestic care provided by a homemaker constituted a distinct and compensable head of damages in motor accident claims. It awarded additional compensation to a man for the loss of his wife in a motor vehicle accident case.
“We are also of the view that the housewife contributes to the growth of human beings and the nation. The homemaker builds a nation. So we have laid down the principles, and as a nation builder, we have housewives… we have quantified the amount that the loss of domestic care monthly income minimum in any event would be 30,000 per month,” Justice Karol said, pronouncing the verdict.
“We only hope and trust that the word homemaker will now acquire the acronym of nation builder,” Justice Karol said.
While deciding an appeal in a motor accident claims, the top court acknowledged the contribution of a homemaker, saying it extended beyond the household and played a vital role in nation-building.
The loss of domestic care suffered by a family due to the death or incapacitation of a homemaker deserved independent recognition in determining compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, it noted.
The “loss of domestic care” would be a ground in addition to the heads of damages recognized by the Supreme Court in Pranay Sethi’s case for awarding compensation in motor accident claim cases.
The current verdict is an improvement on an earlier one in which the top court had said the notion that homemakers did not work was wrong and ruled that their deemed income must not be less than the minimum wages notified for a daily wager.
The Bench also issued directions for expeditious disposal of motor accident compensation claims.
It expressed hope that provisions under Section 169 of the Motor Vehicles Act — which envisaged a summary procedure before Motor Accident Claims Tribunals — would be implemented in letter and spirit.
The Bench asked all high court chief justices to monitor motor accident claims cases to ensure timely disposal and effective implementation of the principles laid down by it.
