THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE GHULAM MOHAMMED C.M.A.No.1630 of 2004 JUDGMENT: The appellant-APSRTC filed this appeal under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against the order, dated 25.02.2004, passed in O.P.No.1001 of 2001 by the Chairman, Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal-cum-II Additional District Judge, Kurnool(for short ‘the Tribunal’). 2. The brief facts of the case are that on 05.10.2001 at about 2.30 PM, when Chakali Savari was driving the auto along with the passengers, the bus bearing No.AP 11Z 460 came in opposite direction in a rash and negligent manner with high speed, dashed the auto, due to which said Chakali Savari and some other passengers died. The respondents-claimants being the children of the deceased filed the above said O.P. claiming compensation of Rs.3,00,000/-. The appellant-APSRTC filed counter denying the averments made in the petition. By the order impugned, the Tribunal awarded compensation of Rs.2,10,000/- to the claimants. Aggrieved by the same, the appellant-APSRTC filed the present appeal. 3. Heard the learned Standing Counsel for the appellant and the learned counsel for the respondents-claimants. 4. Learned Standing Counsel for the appellant contended that the Tribunal has taken multiplier ‘17’ for the age group of 35 years and that as per the decision of the Apex Court in SARALA VERMA v. DELHI TRANSPORT CORPORATION[1] the multiplier applicable to the case of the deceased is ‘16’ and accordingly, the compensation may be awarded to the claimants. 5. The material on record discloses that the deceased Chakali Savari was aged 35 years and earning a sum of Rs.1500/-per month as Driver of the auto, at the time of the accident. After deducting 1/3rd from it towards his personal expenses, it comes to Rs.1000/-per month and annually at Rs.12,000/-per annum. As per SARALA VERMA’s case (1 supra), the appropriate multiplier for the age group of 35 years is ‘16’, as rightly contended by the learned Standing Counsel for the appellant, and thereby, the loss of dependency comes to Rs.12,000X16=1,92,000/-. The compensation awarded by the Tribunal towards other heads i.e., Rs.2,000/-towards funeral expenses and Rs.4,000/-towards loss of estate should be added to it. In total, a sum of Rs.1,98,000/- is awarded to the claimants. Thus, the compensation is reduced from Rs.2,10,000/- to Rs.1,98,000/-. The order of the Tribunal in all other aspects shall remain unaltered. The compensation amount shall carry interest @ 7% per annum from the date of the petition till realization. 6. With the above modification, the Civil Miscellaneous Appeal is allowed in part. No costs. _____________________ GHULAM MOHAMMED, J Date:10.02.2011 sj [1] (2009) 6 SCC 121