The Supreme Court, while setting aside an order of the Uttarakhand High Court in a motor accident claim case, observed that the value of a woman’s work at home was no less than that of someone who brought a salary from office.
The Bench of Justice Suryan Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan noted on Friday that the worth of a woman looking after the household was of a “high order” and her contributions were hard to quantify in monetary terms.
The Apex Court made the observations while hearing a motor accident case arising out of the unfortunate death of a woman from Uttarakhand in a road accident in 2006. As the vehicle in which she was travelling was not insured, the liability fell on the owner of the vehicle to pay her family the compensation.
A motor accident claims tribunal awarded her family— her husband and minor son — damages of Rs 2.5 lakh. The family appealed in the Uttarakhand high court for higher compensation, but their plea was dismissed in 2017.