IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH FAO No.1261 of 1989(O&M) Date of decision:09.02.2011 The State of Punjab ....Appellant versus Smt. Gurdev Kaur and others ....Respondents CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE K. KANNAN ---- Present: Mr. H.S.Gill, DAG, Punjab, for the appellant. None for the respondents. ---- 1. Whether reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2. To be referred to the reporters or not ? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the digest ? ---- K.Kannan, J. (Oral) 1. The appeal is for a claim for compensation for death of a male, aged 26 years, where the claimants were parents. The deceased was an Inspector in National Insurance, drawing a salary of Rs.1,901/-. The Tribunal took the dependence of the family at Rs.1,250/-, adopted a multiplier of 16 and granted a compensation of Rs.2,40,000/-. 2. The learned counsel states that the choice of multiplier of 16 was erroneous and conflicts with the law laid down by the Hon'ble Supreme Court that makes reliance only to the age of the parents for choice of a multiplier when the death is of a bachelor with prospects of marriage and reduction in contribution to the family. Even while I will FAO No.1261 of 1989(O&M) - 2 - accept the proposition advanced by the learned counsel for the State, I would hold that the Tribunal did not make provision for a prospect of increase in salary which on account of age of the deceased, I will make an increase of 50% of his salary and take the average income to be Rs.2,850/-. I will make a deduction of 50% and even if a multiplier of 14 were to be taken, assuming the age of the mother to be 45 years, the loss of dependency will be Rs.2,39,400/-. If there must be a provision for funeral expenses and loss to estate, the amount will be in excess of Rs.2,40,000/- which has been awarded by the Tribunal. I see no scope for interference with the award of the Tribunal. The appeal is dismissed. (K.KANNAN) JUDGE 09.02.2011 sanjeev