Conventional heads must be enhanced by 20% six years after *Pranay Sethi*.

The appellants, parents of Maniraju, sought compensation for his death in a road traffic accident on 21 May 2024 involving a KSRTC bus.

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal partly allowed their claim and awarded Rs.18,57,032, with interest at 6% per annum.

The parents appealed under Section 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, seeking enhancement.

The appeal was delayed by 493 days; the High Court had directed that interest would not be payable for the delay period.

1. Whether the Tribunal’s assessment of loss of dependency should be enhanced by applying the applicable notional income for 2024.

2. Whether the amounts awarded under conventional heads required enhancement.

3. Whether the appellants were entitled to interest on the enhanced compensation for the appeal’s delay period.

Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, compensation is assessed on the basis of the deceased’s income, applicable future prospects, personal-expense deduction and multiplier.

The Court applied the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority’s notional income of Rs.17,000 per month for 2024, added 25% for future prospects, deducted 50% for the deceased bachelor’s personal expenses, and applied multiplier 14.

Relying on *National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi*, AIR 2017 SC 5157, it applied a 20% increase to the conventional heads of consortium, loss of estate, and funeral expenses.

The appeal was considered under Section 173(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The Court held that the Tribunal had used a lower notional monthly income of Rs.16,000 instead of Rs.17,000.

Applying 25% future prospects, a 50% deduction for personal expenses, and multiplier 14, it recalculated loss of dependency at Rs.17,85,000.

It increased the conventional-head awards by 20%, resulting in Rs.96,000 for consortium and Rs.18,000 each for loss of estate and funeral expenses.

The judgment’s discussion refers to medical expenses of Rs.16,032, while its compensation table lists Rs.67,032; the table gives a total award of Rs.19,84,032.

The Court denied interest for the 493-day delay in filing the appeal, consistent with its earlier order.

The appellants were awarded enhanced compensation of Rs.1,27,000, with interest at 6% per annum from the date of the claim petition until realization, excluding the 493-day delay period.

The respondent was directed to deposit the enhanced amount with interest before the Tribunal within six weeks, and the appellants were entitled to receive it in equal shares.