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SC Fixes Homemaker's Economic Value at ₹30,000/Month in Landmark Shishupal MACT Compensation Judgment

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
17 Jun 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:₹30,000/month (economic value)10% hike every three years₹2.42 lakh (MACT award)₹8.43 lakh (HC award)₹62.78 lakh (SC award)2001 accident
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaMotor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT)Punjab and Haryana High Court
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court revised MACT compensation from ₹8.43 lakh to ₹62.78 lakh by valuing homemaker's services at ₹30,000/month, citing Lata Wadhwa (2001) and Kirti vs Oriental Insurance (2021).

2.The floor value must be increased by 10% every three years, and a woman's salary, if applicable, is added to it — but this applies only to MACT cases, not a salary or pension entitlement.

3.The judgment creates judicial reasoning for homemakers seeking maintenance under Hindu Marriage Act and for rural women whose labour is often undervalued, with potential ripple effects on insurance risk models.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court in the Shishupal judgment has assigned a notional economic value of ₹30,000 per month to unpaid domestic work of homemakers for Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) compensation. This landmark decision provides a floor value that increases by 10% every three years and is likely to influence maintenance claims, employment disputes, and wider societal recognition of women's unpaid labour.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Case NameShishupal @Shish Ram vs Surjeet
BenchJustices Sanjay Karol and N.K. Singh
Economic Value of Homemaker₹30,000/month (notional floor)
Floor Hike10% every three years
Revised Total Compensation₹62.78 lakh
Applies ToMACT compensation cases only
Important PrecedentsLata Wadhwa (2001) - ₹3,000; Kirti vs Oriental Insurance (2021)
Accident Year2001

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Case Name: Shishupal @Shish Ram vs Surjeet
  • ›Bench: Justices Sanjay Karol and N.K. Singh
  • ›Target this Data: ₹30,000/month economic value for homemaker in MACT claims
  • ›Target this Case: Shishupal @Shish Ram vs Surjeet (2026)
  • ›Target this Precedent: Kirti vs Oriental Insurance (2021) - unpaid work cannot be discounted

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which Act are Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACT) constituted?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's Shishupal judgment:

1. The Court attached an economic value of ₹30,000 per month to the unpaid domestic work of a homemaker.

2. The judgment creates a statutory right to a salary for all homemakers in India.

3. The floor value must be increased by 10% every three years.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

What was the total compensation awarded by the Supreme Court in the Shishupal case?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary impact of the Shishupal judgment on motor insurance companies?

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