The Supreme Court has held that a “Reach Stacker”, a specialised heavy machine used for lifting and stacking shipping containers, does not qualify as a “motor vehicle” under Section 2(28) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, when operated within an enclosed Inland Container Depot (ICD). A Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh observed that a custom-bonded ICD is not a “public place” under the Act. The Court further held that specialised heavy machinery operating within restricted-access industrial premises falls within the exclusion under Section 2(28). Consequently, compensation claims arising from accidents involving such equipment in these circumstances cannot be maintained before a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal under Section 166 of the Act. The Supreme Court set aside the Delhi High Court judgment and restored the MACT Saket Courts order rejecting the claim petition under Order VII Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
