Case Law Analysis
|Karnataka High Court
Motor Vehicles Act Section 173 | Right to Cross-Examine Witnesses Cannot Be Denied Due to COVID-19 Lockdown Delays: Karnataka HC
The Karnataka High Court has ruled that denying cross-examination of witnesses in a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal proceeding due to pandemic-related delays violates natural justice and renders the award void. This sets a critical precedent: procedural fairness in compensation cases cannot be sacrificed for administrative convenience, even during emergencies, affecting claimants, insurers, and tribunals nationwide.