Supreme Court: Electricity boards face strict, not absolute, liability for electrocution; writs unsuitable on disputed facts
The question: Is a writ petition under Article 226 maintainable for compensation in electrocution cases where facts are disputed?
Two electrocution victims' claimants had won compensation of about Rs 25.5 lakh and Rs 44.3 lakh from the Karnataka High Court against the state power transmission company, which treated its liability as absolute and ignored disputed facts. The Supreme Court held that such cases involve strict liability, which has recognised exceptions, and that a writ petition is not the right remedy when negligence and other facts are genuinely disputed.