NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED v. SMT. THUNGALA DHANA LAXMI

Factual and Procedural Background

This Supreme Court order arises in a Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No. 8563/2025 filed by National Insurance Company Limited, stemming from the High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad’s final judgment and order dated 30-07-2024 in MACMA No. 1659/2012. On 09-09-2025, the matter was listed for hearing before a Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, and the Court passed directions primarily concerning impleadment of additional parties and listing.

Legal Issues Presented

The opinion addresses a procedural matter and does not frame distinct legal issues.

Arguments of the Parties

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.

Table of Precedents Cited

No precedents were cited in the provided opinion.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The Court recorded its considered view that a larger issue concerning the issuance of various motor vehicle insurance policies by different insurance companies is pending consideration before it. On that basis, the Court directed impleadment of multiple insurance companies and the General Insurance Council as party respondent(s), evidently to ensure participation of relevant stakeholders in the pending larger issue. The Court also recorded an undertaking by petitioner’s counsel, Ms. Meenakshi Midha, to apprise the General Manager(s) of the newly impleaded respondents of the order and request them to appear through nominated counsel on the next date of hearing. The matter was then directed to be listed on a specified date and time before the same combination of Bench, subject to obtaining orders from the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India.

Holding and Implications

DIRECTIONS ISSUED (IMPLEADMENT & LISTING)

The Court impleaded the following as party respondent(s): (i) Acko General Insurance Ltd.; (ii) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (iii) Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (iv) Go Digit General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (v) HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (vi) ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (vii) IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (viii) Liberty General Insurance Ltd.; (ix) Magma HDI General Insurance Company Ltd.; (x) Raheja QBE General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xi) Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xii) Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xiii) SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xiv) Shriram General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xv) Tata AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xvi) New India Assurance Co. Ltd.; (xvii) Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xviii) United India Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xix) Universal Sompo General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xx) Bharti AXA General Insurance Co. Ltd.; (xxi) Future Generali Insurance Co. Ltd.; and (xxii) General Insurance Council.

The direct effect is that these entities are added to the proceedings and are expected to appear through nominated counsel on the next date. The matter was ordered to be listed on 18.9.2025 at 2.00 P.M. before the same Bench combination, after obtaining orders from the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India. The order does not indicate that any new precedent was set.