MANU/SC/0271/2010

True Court CopyTM EnglishUC

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 14 of 2008

Decided On: 19.04.2010

Appellants: General Insurance Council and Ors. Vs. Respondent: State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors.

Hon'ble Judges/Coram:
P. Sathasivam and Deepak Verma

JUDGMENT

Deepak Verma, J.

1. Even though the question projected in this petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India stands answered by a judgment of two learned judges of this Court reported in MANU/SC/1110/2002 : (2002) 10 SCC 283 titled Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai v. State of Gujarat pertaining to interpretation and mode of implementation of Sections 451 and 457 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter shall be referred to as 'the Code'), but on account of certain grey areas having been left untouched, which still cast clouds on the question, this petition has been filed for further directions, orders and clarifications.

2. Petitioner No. 1, General Insurance Council has been constituted under Section 64C(b) of the Insurance Act, 1938 consisting of all the members and associate members of the association as envisaged in Section 64A of the said Act, who carry on general insurance business in India and are being represented by Petitioner No. 1 and have been arrayed as Petitioner Nos. 2 to 5 in the said petition.

3. According to them, there has been a gross violation of fundamental rights as conferred on them under Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India. Thus, they are constrained to approach this Court directly by filing a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. They further contended that despite the directions passed by this Court in Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai (supra), as also in W.P. (C) No. 282 of 2007 titled General Insurance Council and Ors. v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors., decided on 09.07.2007, there has not been full and complete compliance of the same. Therefore, they have once again approached this Court for issuing further directions so that national waste with regard to the seized vehicles involved in commission of various offences may not become junk and their road worthiness be maintained.

4. According to the Petitioners, the report of 2005 of NCRB, 84,675 vehicles were reported lost, out of which 24,918 vehicles were recovered by the police and out of these, only 4,676 vehicles were finally co-ordinated. As a result, several hundred crores worth of assets were lost. Further, by the time the recovered vehicles are released, the same are reduced to junk at the respective police stations. In other words, Petitioners have prayed that national waste that is being caused could be substantially reduced, curbed and eliminated to a great extent. Keeping in view the aforesaid facts in mind, they have filed this Writ Petition.

5. In Sunderbhai Ambalal Desai (supra), the Supreme Court was primarily dealing with provisions of Sections 451 and