Case Law Analysis
|Karnataka High Court
Section 166(3) Motor Vehicles Act | MACT May Proceed with Adjudication Beyond 6-Month Limit, But Must Defer Final Award Pending SC Ruling: Karnataka HC
The Karnataka High Court has directed Motor Accident Claims Tribunals to continue hearing claim petitions filed after the six-month limitation period under Section 166(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act, but strictly prohibited them from issuing final awards until the Supreme Court resolves the maintainability question in SLPs 8412-8413/2023. This interim framework protects claimants' access to justice while preserving the Supreme Court's ultimate authority on statutory limitation, affecting insurers, victims, and tribunals nationwide.