New Delhi: The Supreme Court asks Indian Railways to reconsider ‘second class passenger’ term after observing that the expression is not in line with the spirit of the Indian Constitution. The Court said that the word “second class” should describe the coach, not the person travelling in it. The judgment also highlighted the serious issue of overcrowding in trains and stressed the need for better passenger safety.
Details of Railway Second Class Passenger Term
A bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh made the observation while hearing a railway accident compensation case related to a passenger who died after falling from a moving train in 2015.
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The judges examined the Indian Railway Commercial Manual and other railway documents. They found that terms such as “second class passenger”, “upper class passenger”, and “lower class passenger” are still used in several official provisions.
According to the Court, these words reflect historical class divisions and are not appropriate in a constitutional democracy that values equality, dignity, and respect for every citizen. Therefore, the Court suggested that the classification should refer only to the coach category, not to the passenger.
Court Asks Railways to Review Official Manuals
The Supreme Court requested the Indian Railways to clarify and reconsider the continued use of the expression “second class passenger” in its manuals and official documents. The Court did not issue a direct order to immediately change the wording. Instead, it advised the Railways to review the terminology so that it better reflects the constitutional values of equality and dignity.
Railway Second Class Passenger Term: Supreme Court Raises Concern Over Train Overcrowding
Apart from the terminology issue, the judgment strongly focused on overcrowding in trains. The bench observed that overcrowding is a common problem and is often responsible for passengers falling from moving trains, leading to serious injuries and deaths.
The Court suggested that the Railways should consider a significant increase in manpower at railway stations and on trains. More staff could help improve crowd management, enforce safety rules, and reduce accidents caused by overcrowding.
Railway Second Class Passenger Term: Compensation Awarded to Widow
The observations came during the hearing of an appeal filed by Lata, whose husband Chandrakant Thakkar died after falling from the Ahmedabad–Howrah Mail between Khandba and Khatgaon while travelling from Raipur to Ahmedabad on November 28, 2015.
Earlier, both the Railway Claims Tribunal and the Madhya Pradesh High Court had rejected the compensation claim because the passenger’s railway ticket was not recovered after the accident.
The Supreme Court overturned both decisions. It ruled that the absence of the ticket alone cannot prove that the deceased was not a genuine passenger. The Court awarded ₹8 lakh compensation to the widow.
Why This Judgment Matters
The ruling is important because it highlights two key issues:
- It encourages the Railways to use language that respects the dignity of passengers.
- It draws attention to the urgent need to reduce overcrowding and improve passenger safety across the railway network.
The judgment also reinforces that compensation claims should be decided on the overall facts of a case and not rejected solely because a railway ticket is missing after a serious accident.
