New Delhi, Oct. 16: The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Central government for rolling out the Compensation to Victims (Interim Relief) Scheme, 2026 without adequate publicity, observing that a welfare measure meant to provide immediate financial assistance to motor accident victims would serve little purpose if those entitled to its benefits did not know about it.
Disapproving the quiet rollout of the scheme, a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan said: “This is an unannounced law. People should know because it’s a beneficial piece of legislation. Common man would not come to know.”
The court directed the Centre to give the scheme wide publicity so that accident victims and their families were made aware of the relief available to them.
The issue arose during the hearing of a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s April 28, 2025 direction requiring the Centre to frame a statutory mechanism under Section 164A of the Motor Vehicles Act for prompt interim compensation to road accident victims.
Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee informed the bench that the government had since framed the Compensation to Victims (Interim Relief) Scheme, 2026. Referring to Clause 6, he said a communication had already been sent on February 23 to Chief Secretaries of all States asking them to circulate the guidelines.
The disclosure, however, came as a surprise to both the applicant appearing in person and the amicus curiae, who told the court that they were unaware that the scheme had already been notified and circulated.
The amicus and the applicant also pointed out that the scheme presently covered cases involving insured vehicles, where compensation is paid through the insurer, but did not address victims of accidents involving uninsured vehicles, in which liability may fall directly on the owner or driver.
Taking note of the concerns, the bench emphasised that a beneficial scheme could not remain confined to government files and must be made known to the public.
“We want the government to ensure that people at large come to know about this Compensation Scheme 2026. People should know because it’s a beneficial piece of legislation,” the court said in its order.
The bench also asked the Centre to place before it, on the next date of hearing, a concrete plan detailing how the scheme would be effectively publicised and implemented across the country.
Pramod kumar is a Senior Journalist, Covering Supreem Court of India
