Supreme Court stays 6-month deadline to file motor accident claims; orders MACTS, HCs not to reject petitions on ground of delay

Published on : 07 Nov 2025, 11:23 am 2 min read

The Supreme Court recently directed all Motor Accident Claims Tribunals and High Courts across the country not to reject compensation claims of road accident victims on the ground of delay in filing such petitions [ ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. vs. Ayiti Navaneetha & Ors. ].

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria also stayed the operation of Section 166(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which mandates the six-month time limit/ limitation for filing motor accident claim petitions.

“During the pendency of these petitions, the tribunal or the High Courts shall not dismiss the claim petitions on the ground of such petitions as barred by limitation as prescribed under sub-section (3) of Section 166 of the