TNN
Valli Nayaki challenged the tribunal’s decision in the high court, arguing that splitting the compensation into 72 instalments was unreasonable. Accordingly, the petitioner sought a direction from the court for a lump-sum release of the compensation amount so that she could use the funds for her daughter’s education and other urgent needs. Hyderabad : The Telangana high court recently came to the aid of a woman seeking access to her railway compensation without unnecessary litigation by modifying an order passed by the Railway Claims Tribunal in Secunderabad. Citing Supreme Court precedents in similar cases, her counsel, E Varun Kumar, contended that compensation is generally staggered to prevent beneficiaries from being exploited.
The judge further ordered that the amount be kept in four fixed deposits of ₹1.8 lakh each. The counsel submitted that the petitioner could approach the Railway Claims Tribunal if she required immediate funds for her daughter’s education or other family needs. He also granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the tribunal for withdrawal of funds for her daughter’s education or any other purpose, and directed the tribunal to consider such an application on its merits and in accordance with the law.
Opposing the plea, counsel for the South Central Railway argued that the petition was not maintainable before the high court.