Compensation to three electricity accident victims upheld

Karnataka High Court upholds ₹1.28 crore compensation ruling for victims of electricity accidents, including minors, during 2017-18.

A division bench of the High Court of Karnataka has upheld the ruling of a single judge who directed electricity distribution and supply companies to pay ₹1.28 crore as compensation to victims, including two minors, of three electricity accidents during 2017-18.

“The grant of compensation by the single judge under different heads, which are recognised in law, cannot be said to be on the higher side,” observed a division bench comprising Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi.

The division bench passed the order while dismissing the appeals filed by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), which had challenged the August 4, 2022, judgement of the single judge.

The single judge had passed the orders in favour of Rekha, the widow of an agricultural labourer who was electrocuted at a coffee plantation in Sakaleshpura of Hassan district; 15-year-old Chandana K. of Lottegollahalli in Bengaluru and seven-year-old Muizz Ahmad Shariff of Gurananpalya in Bengaluru.

In the case of Chandana, the single judge had ordered payment of ₹51.76 lakh as compensation to her and Bescom was directed to pay the remaining ₹49.26 lakh by deducting ₹2.5 lakh paid earlier. She had suffered 75% disability with the amputation of her left hand when she was 13 years and studying in Class IX when she came in contact with a 11KV electricity line while she was climbing the stairs holding an iron mop on October 19, 2017.

For Muizz Ahmad Shariff, the single judge had awarded ₹50.82 lakh as compensation and had asked the KPTCL to pay the remaining ₹44.32 lakh by deducting ₹6.5 lakh paid earlier.

The single judge had directed KPTCL to pay ₹25.25 lakh as compensation to Rekha for the death of her husband, Subramanya (36). He had died of electrocution while harvesting pepper plants using an aluminium ladder which came in contact with a 11KV feeder line on February 22, 2018.