NCDRC Condones 12-Day Delay In LIC Housing Finance's Written Statement, Directs State Commission To Take Written Statement On Record

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), comprising Justice Saroj Yadav (Presiding Member), set aside an order of the Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission rejecting LIC Housing Finance Ltd.'s application for condonation of delay in filing its written statement. Holding that the State Commission failed to consider the date of e-filing of the written statement, the Commission condoned the 12-day delay, directed the State Commission to take the written statement on record and proceed with the consumer complaint in accordance with law.

Brief Facts

The complainant, Monica Manaktala, filed a consumer complaint against LIC Housing Finance Ltd. before the Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The company received notice of the complaint on 23 May 2025 and was required to file its written statement within the statutory period prescribed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

According to LIC Housing Finance, the summons were initially received at its Mumbai office and thereafter forwarded to its Delhi office. It further stated that the dispute related to old Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs), the records of which had been archived, resulting in time being taken to retrieve the relevant documents. The company e-filed its written statement on 5 July 2025 and subsequently filed the physical copy on 31 July 2025.

The State Commission rejected the company's application for condonation of delay, holding that its explanation relating to internal administrative procedures and retrieval of archived records did not constitute sufficient cause. Treating the written statement as having been filed only on 31 July 2025, it dismissed the application and directed that the written statement be taken off record. Aggrieved by the order, LIC Housing Finance filed a revision petition before the NCDRC

Contentions of LIC Housing Finance

LIC Housing Finance contended that the State Commission had erred in computing the delay by taking into account the date on which the hard copy of the written statement was filed. It submitted that the written statement had already been e-filed on 5 July 2025 and, therefore, the actual delay was only 12 days beyond the statutory period of 30 days. It further argued that the reasons set out in its delay condonation application sufficiently explained the delay and ought to have been considered.

Observations and Decision

The NCDRC observed that the State Commission had failed to take into consideration the fact that the written statement had been e-filed on 5 July 2025. It noted that if the date of e-filing was considered, the delay in filing the written statement was only 12 days beyond the statutory period of 30 days and that the reasons mentioned in the application for condonation of delay ought to have been considered.

Accordingly, the Commission set aside the impugned order, condoned the 12-day delay in filing the written statement, and directed the State Commission to take the written statement on record. The revision petition was disposed of with a direction to the petitioner to appear before the concerned State Commission on the date already fixed.

Case Title: LIC Housing Finance Ltd. v. Monica Manaktala

Case No.: Revision Petition No. NC/RP/737/2026 (along with IA No. NC/IA/7385/2026)

Advocate for the Petitioner( LIC Housing Finance) :Mr. Satya Prakash Singh 

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