STATE OF PUNJAB & ORS. vs SURINDER SINGH & ORS.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 231 FAO-3941-2005 with XOBJC-18-CII-2006 Date of decision :12.05.2026 STATE OF PUNJAB & ORS. ... APPELLANTS VERSUS SURINDER SINGH & ORS. ...RESPONDENTS CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PARMOD GOYAL Present: Dr. D.S. Lamba, Addl. A.G., Punjab. Mr. Sunil Chadha, Senior Advocate with Ms. Arash Deep Kaur, Advocate for cross objectors-claimants. **** PARMOD GOYAL, J. (ORAL) 1. The present appeal has been preferred by the respondent-State being aggrieved by the award dated 04.10.2004 passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Kapurthala (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Tribunal’), whereby all the six respondents were held jointly and severally liable to pay compensation to the claimant. The present appeal is filed by the appellant on the ground that the State of Punjab and Punjab Roadways has no liability to pay compensation, as the vehicle was owned by respondent No. 2, namely, Sudesh Kumar, and was being driven by Gurnam Singh, who was an employee of respondent No. 2. The vehicle was duly insured with respondent No. 3- United India Insurance Company Limited. The only role of the State of Punjab was that it had hired the bus on kilomete