Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has directed that documents such as the FIR, panchnama, FSL report, inquest panchnama, postmortem report, and related records be supplied free of cost to insurance agents and accident victims.The order was given in a case where an agent of an insurance company had requested the Kamrej police station for the aforementioned records along with other papers pertaining to two accident cases. In response, the police station had asked him to approach the court.When he contacted the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), he was informed that the procedure requires him to obtain the papers from the Kamrej police station itself. The complainant then approached the GIC, which ruled that the public information officer of Kamrej police station had not acted in accordance with the provisions of the MACT Act (Amendment) 2022.Under the amended MACT Act, the investigating officer is required to submit the first accident report to the MACT; authorised agent of the insurance company and the accident victim or legal heirs in case of death, within 48 hours; the interim accident report within 60 days; and the detailed accident report within 90 days.The commission also directed state police to ensure that, in cases where such reports have already been sent to the MACT but not forwarded to the authorised insurance agent and the victim/legal heirs, they are now sent to them.These directions are intended to ensure compliance with the legal framework so that accident victims/their heirs can obtain insurance claims more quickly in MACT matters, the commission said in its order. The order is expected to provide major relief to the families of victims, insurance company agents handling claim procedures, besides helping victims secure justice without delays.Pankti Jog, general secretary of Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP) said there are several such cases where help is sought by people on the MAGP helpline and that the commission’s order will now expedite settlement of insurance claims.
