Supreme Court Directs Compilation of Minimum Wage Notifications to Strengthen Motor Accident Compensation Adjudication
Background of the Case The Supreme Court has issued significant directions to all States and Union Territories, calling for a consolidated and updated compilation of minimum wage notifications. The Court observed that the lack of uniform, reliable and easily accessible minimum wage data has made adjudication in motor accident compensation cases increasingly difficult, particularly while determining notional income for victims. The directions were delivered by a Division Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and N. Kotiswar Singh while deciding an appeal arising from a 2013 motor accident case in Madhya Pradesh. Issue Before the Supreme Court The Court noted that: • Minimum wage notifications are revised periodically • Many States upload incomplete or outdated data • Courts often struggle to access the applicable wage notification • This leads to delays and inconsistent compensation awards The Bench remarked that locating correct wage rates at the time of accident has become “quite a difficult...