- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19338 WP No. 20248 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 8TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM WRIT PETITION NO. 20248 OF 2024 (GM-AC) BETWEEN: ICICI LOMBARD GENERAL INSURANCE CO. LTD., REP. BY ITS MANAGER, 9TH FLOOR, THE ESTATE 121, DICKENSON ROAD, M.G. ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 042. COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER COMPANIES ACT, 1956. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. A.N. KRISHNA SWAMY, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. M. VENUGOPAL S/O. MUNIYAPPA. M, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, R/AT NO. 169, FLAT NO. S-3, 2ND FLOOR, SAI PARAMESHA APARTMENT, 1ST CROSS, RAMDEV GARDEN, Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19338 WP No. 20248 of 2024 K.K. HALLI, HBR LAYOUT, BENGALURU - 560 084. 2. R. RAJAN S/O. LATE RAMACHANDRAN, R/AT NO. 2 L-23, BEHIND JOSEPH CHURCH, NO. 104, INFANTRY TECHNO PARK, 3RD BLOCK, LINGARAJPURAM, BENGALURU - 560 084. …RESPONDENTS THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO i) QUASH THE ORDER AS PER ANNEXURE-D DATED 22/12/2023 PASSED BY XVIII ADDL. JUDGE, COURT OF SMALL CAUSES AND ACJMM, BENGALURU ON APPLICATION FILED UNDER SECTION 151 OF THE CPC IN MVC NO. 3485/2023 AND ETC., THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19338 WP No. 20248 of 2024 ORAL ORDER The captioned writ petition is filed by the Insurance Company calling in question the order passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in M.V.C. No.3485/2023, whereby the Tribunal has proceeded with the adjudication of the claim petition notwithstanding the contention of the petitioner that the claim petition itself is barred by limitation, having been instituted beyond the prescribed period of six months. 2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner– Insurance Company submits that the Tribunal has committed an error in proceeding with the claim petition despite the admitted fact that the claim petition has been filed beyond the statutory period of six months. In support of his contention, learned counsel has placed reliance on a judgment rendered by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court, wherein the question relating to the maintainability of claim petitions filed beyond the prescribed period and the applicability of Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963, for condonation of delay in such matters has been examined. - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19338 WP No. 20248 of 2024 3. Having examined the judgment relied upon by the learned counsel for the petitioner, this Court is informed that the very same question, namely, whether a belated claim petition under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 can be entertained by invoking Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963 for condonation of delay beyond the statutory period, is presently under consideration before the Hon’ble Apex Court in Special Leave to Appeal (C) Nos.8412– 8413 of 2023. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that in several similar matters, Co-ordinate Benches of this Court, while taking note of the pendency of the aforesaid Special Leave Petitions before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, have disposed of writ petitions with an observation that the pendency of the matter before the Hon'ble Apex Court shall not come in the way of the Tribunal proceeding with the adjudication of the claim petitions. However, the Tribunal has been directed to defer the pronouncement of the final judgment and award until the issue regarding maintainability of such belated claim petitions is authoritatively decided by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:19338 WP No. 20248 of 2024 4. In the light of the consistent view taken by the Co- ordinate Benches of this Court and bearing in mind that the issue concerning the maintainability of claim petitions filed beyond the period of six months is presently sub judice before the Hon’ble Apex Court, this Court deems it appropriate to adopt the same course. Accordingly, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal is directed to proceed with the adjudication of the claim petition on merits. 5. However, the Tribunal shall refrain from pronouncing the final judgment and award until the Hon’ble Supreme Court renders its decision in the aforesaid Special Leave Petitions concerning the maintainability of claim petitions filed beyond the prescribed period of limitation. With these observations and directions, the writ petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE HDK List No.: 1 Sl No.: 32