In Brief
A bus owned by a private school was requisitioned by the District Magistrate for Gram Panchayat elections. During official use, the bus collided with a motorcycle, killing the rider. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal held the insurer liable for compensation. The High Court reversed this, placing liability on the State authority instead. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision, holding that when a vehicle is requisitioned by the State for public purposes, operational control shifts to the State, and the State—not the private insurer—bears liability for accidents occurring during such requisitioned use.
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