2026:HHC:34797 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA FAO (MV) Nos.518, 519 & 520 of 2018 Decided on       :      18th August, 2026 1. FAO (MV) No.518 of 2018 National Insurance Company Ltd. .....Appellant Versus Kushal Singh & Others .....Respondents 2. FAO (MV) No.519 of 2018 National Insurance Company Ltd. .....Appellant Versus Sukanya Devi@ Priyanka & Others .....Respondents 3. FAO (MV) No.520 of 2018 National Insurance Company Ltd. .....Appellant Versus Kushal Singh & Others .....Respondents Coram The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2026:HHC:34797 FAO (MV) No.518 & 519 of 2018 For the appellant(s)      : Mr. Jagdish Thakur, Advocate. For the respondent(s)   : Mr. Sanjay Jaswal & Ms. Vandna Thakur, Advocates. Respondent   No.2,   is   stated   to have expired. FAO (MV) No.520 of 2018 For the appellant      : Mr. Jagdish Thakur, Advocate. For the respondent   : Mr. Sanjay Jaswal & Ms. Vandna Thakur, Advocates, for respondent No.1. Respondent   No.3,   is   stated   to have expired. Virender Singh, Judge (Oral) Appellant­National Insurance Company Limited has preferred   the   present   Appeals   against   the   awards   dated 02.06.2018, passed by the Court of learned Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal­IV, Kangra at Dharamshala, District Kangra, H.P. (hereinafter referred to as the ‘learned MACT’). 2. Respondent No.2, in FAO(MV) Nos. 518 and 519 of 2018 and respondent No.3, in FAO No. 520 of 2018, is stated to   have   expired. As   per   the   contents   of   the   applications, bearing CMP No.18348 of 2026 in FAO(MV) No.518 of 2018, CMP No.18326 of 2026 in FAO (MV) No.519 of 2026 and CMP 2 2026:HHC:34797 No.18325 of 2026 in FAO (MV) No.520 of 2026, respondent­ Somnath expired on 02.06.2015. In order to demonstrate the said   fact,   death   certificate   of   Shri   Somnath   issued   by   the competent authority has been annexed. 3. On   02.06.2015,   the  lis  was   pending   before   the learned MACT. Meaning thereby, the award has been passed against a dead person, as, no efforts have been made by the claimants   to   bring   on   record   the   legal   representatives   of respondent­Somnath,   who,   as   per   the   stand   taken   by   the claimants, was driver of the offending vehicle. Learned MACT has given the right to recover the amount from the owner and driver of the offending vehicle. 4. Since, the death had taken place, when the lis was pending, before the learned MACT, as such, the awards passed by the learned MACT, for or against a dead person is nullity. 5. The Hon’ble Apex Court in ‘Gurnam Singh (Dead) through Legal Representatives & Ors. Vs. Gurbachan Kaur (Dead) by Legal Representatives’ (2017), 13 SCC 414,  has observed, in para No.21, as under:­ “It is a fundamental principle of law laid down by this Court in Kiran Singh’s case (supra) that a decree passed by the Court, if it is a nullity, its   validity   can   be   questioned   in   any proceeding including in execution proceedings 3 2026:HHC:34797 or   even   in   collateral   proceedings   whenever such decree is sought to be enforced by the decree holder. The reason is that the defect of this   nature   affects   the   very   authority   of   the Court in passing such decree and goes to the root   of   the   case. This   principle,   in   our considered   opinion,   squarely   applies   to   this case because it is a settled principle of law that the decree passed by a Court for or against a dead person is a ‘nullity’.” 6. In   view   of   the   above,   this   Court   is   left   with   no option, but, to set aside the awards passed by the learned MACT and to remand the matters back to the learned MACT, for fresh disposal, in accordance with law, after bringing on record   the   legal   representatives   of   the   respondent   No.2,   in FAO(MV) Nos. 518 and 519 of 2018 and respondent No.3, in FAO No. 520 of 2018. 7. Since, the claim petitions have been filed in the year 2011, as such, it is expected from the learned MACT to decide the matters, on or before 31.12.2026. 8. With   these   observations,   the   awards   dated 02.06.2018, passed by the learned MACT, are set aside. 9. Parties,   through   their   counsel,   are   directed   to appear, before the learned MACT, on 31st August, 2026. 4 2026:HHC:34797 10. All   pending   miscellaneous   applications   shall   also stand disposed of. Record be sent back, immediately. ( Virender Singh ) Judge August 18, 2026 (ps) 5