Implement cashless scheme for road accident victims in true letter and spirit: Supreme Court tells Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to implement "in true letter and spirit" the cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, who would be entitled to a maximum amount of Rs 1.5 lakh per accident per person.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Centre to file an affidavit by the end of August 2025, setting out and clarifying the implementation of the scheme giving the details such as the number of beneficiaries who received cashless treatment under the scheme.

"We direct the central government to ensure that the scheme is implemented in its true letter and spirit," the bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by S Rajaseekaran, seeking appropriate directions for providing help and assistance and monetary compensation to road accident victims.

During the hearing, the Centre informed the top court that it has already framed the scheme, which came into effect on May 5.

"Any person being a victim of a road accident arising out of the use of a motor vehicle, occurring on any road, shall be entitled to cashless treatment in accordance with the provisions of this scheme", as per a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The top court had on April 28 pulled up the Centre over the delay in formulating a cashless scheme for treating motor accident victims and observed despite its January 8 order, the Centre neither complied with the direction nor did it ask for an extension of time.

The Supreme Court on April 17 directed all the States and Union Territories to develop mechanism for swift response protocols so that the road accident victims get help at the right time, after observing that road accident victims are on the rise.

The court passed this necessary directions after being concerned about the unfortunate issue that there were cases, where road accident victims did not get immediate help at the "Golden hour."

"Road accidents in our country are on the rise. The reasons may be different. There are cases where victims of road accidents do not get immediate help. There are cases where the victims may not be injured but they get trapped in vehicles," the top court had said.