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‘Under what authority…?’: Allahabad HC slams MACT for 6-year delay in releasing widow’s insurance claim

3 min readApr 4, 2026 03:38 PM IST

The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench has taken serious note of a Motor Account Claims Tribunal (MACT) Presiding Officer not releasing a Rs 7 lakh insurance claim to a widow, Renoo Singh, despite clear High Court directions issued in 2019.

The court sought an explanation from the Presiding Officer for insisting that the amount will not be released until the applicant ensures her previous counsel appears before the Tribunal, even though the widow had said there was a dispute between her previous and current lawyers.

“The Presiding Officer shall give an explanation as to under what circumstances the impugned order dated 06.02.2026 has been passed, and under what authority of law can he pass such an order of not releasing the sum without prior hearing the erstwhile counsel for the petitioner, where there appears to be infighting between them,” the bench of Justice Jaspreet Singh stated in its April 3 order.

Renoo’s husband had died in a motor vehicle accident around 20 years ago.

While hearing her petition, Justice Singh observed that she had filed a claim petition under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which was allowed on September 29, 2007, awarding a sum of Rs 7,12,000, along with interest at 6% per annum.

This was challenged by the insurance firm.

The court further observed that the matter was taken up in an appeal and decided during a Lok Adalat in 2019, whereby the insurance company had withdrawn the appeal and the compensation was to be paid within 60 days from the said order.

In the order, the court asked the Presiding Officer to explain why the money has not been released despite the Lok Adalat order passed on September 14, 2019, “which clearly directed that the amount be paid in six months “… [But] more than six years have lapsed and the petitioner has not received the said amount,” the court observed.

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The bench observed that the petitioner levelled allegations against her previous counsel. However, it observed, what is most alarming is that in a fight between two counsel, it appears that the Tribunal has also got involved, “which cannot be countenanced at all”.

The court observed that from perusal, the manner and the content of the order passed by the MACT Presiding Officer, Sultanpur district, is not acceptable.

Listing the hearing on the matter on April 10, the court stated in the order, “Let explanation be furnished by the Presiding Officer by the next date.”

Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region’s evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature “Journalism of Courage” is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. … Read More

 

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