Vadodara Municipal Corporation vs Purshottam V.Murjani And Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission's decision, affirming that the Vadodara Municipal Corporation and the Contractor were liable for the deaths of 22 individuals due to negligence in operating an overloaded boat, violating the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The Court established that the Corporation, as a public authority, is vicariously liable for the Contractor's negligence, and the Insurance Company’s liability was determined to be Rs.20 lakhs per incident under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991. The judgment reinforced the principle that public authorities are not exempt from liability for negligent actions.