Supreme Court Recognizes Homemakers’ Contribution as Invaluable, Enhances Compensation in Accident Case

In a landmark judgment on Friday, the Supreme Court of India emphasized the significant and invaluable contribution of homemakers to their families and society. Hearing a motor accident case from 2006 that resulted in the tragic death of a woman from Uttarakhand, the bench, led by Justices Suryan Kant and KV Viswanathan, highlighted the need for courts and tribunals to calculate the notional income of homemakers. The court criticized the approach of undervaluing the contributions of a homemaker compared to those earning a tangible income, underlining that the role of a homemaker is of a “high order” and challenging to quantify in monetary terms.

The case revolved around the death of a woman in a road accident, where the vehicle involved was uninsured, leading to her family – her husband and minor son – initially being awarded a compensation of ₹2.5 lakh by a motor accident claims tribunal. The family’s appeal for higher compensation was dismissed by the Uttarakhand high court in 2017, which had set the compensation based on a minimal notional income, deeming it lower than that of a daily laborer.

Disapproving of the high court’s stance and correcting its factual errors, the Supreme Court increased the compensation to ₹6 lakh, stressing the importance of accurately recognizing and valuing the work and sacrifices of homemakers. This ruling not only addresses the specific injustice faced by the victim’s family but also sets a precedent for future cases, acknowledging the contributions of nearly 159.85 million women in India who identify as homemakers, as per the 2011 Census.

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