Homemaker’s role as significant as earning family member, rules Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, acknowledging the immeasurable value of a homemaker's work, emphasized the significant worth of a woman managing household responsibilities. In a recent motor accident case, Justices Suryakant and KV Vishwanathan increased the compensation to Rs 6 lakh on Friday.

"The role of a homemaker is as important as that of a family member whose income is tangible. If the activities performed by a homemaker are computed one by one, there cannot be any doubt that the contribution is of a high order and is invaluable. In fact, it is difficult to compute her contributions only in monetary terms," the bench said.

Due to the absence of insurance for the vehicle in which she was a passenger, the responsibility for compensation rested with the vehicle owner. The motor accident claims tribunal granted the woman's husband and minor son damages amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh. 

The family sought increased compensation in the Uttarakhand High Court, but their appeal was rejected in 2017. The court argued that, considering the woman's role as a homemaker, compensation should be determined based on her life expectancy and a minimal notional income.

The Supreme Court expressed disapproval of the High Court's stance, stating, "It is inappropriate to consider a homemaker's income as less than that of a daily wage earner. Such an approach is not acceptable to us."

In augmenting the compensation to Rs 6 lakh, the Supreme Court instructed the vehicle owner to disburse the amount to the deceased woman's family within six weeks. Emphasizing the significance of a homemaker's role, the court remarked, "The value of a homemaker should never be underestimated."

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