Consumer Commissions Cannot Decide Disputes Relating To Electricity Theft Allegations: Punjab Consumer Commission

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ferozepur ,comprising President Kiranjit Kaur Arora and Member Suman Khanna dismissed a consumer complaint seeking installation of an agricultural electricity connection, holding that Consumer Commissions lack jurisdiction to entertain disputes relating to unauthorized use of electricity under Section 126 and offences of electricity theft...

CCPA Holds Chaayos Guilty Of Unfair Trade Practice For Levying Mandatory Service Charge, Imposes ₹50,000 Penalty

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has held Chaayos (Sunshine Teahouse Pvt. Ltd.) guilty of indulging in unfair trade practices by levying service charge on customers despite clear legal guidelines prohibiting mandatory service charges in restaurants. The order was passed by a Bench comprising Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra in suo motu...

Delhi State Consumer Commission Directs Cooperative Society To Refund Homebuyers For 15-Year Delay In Flat Possession

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, comprising Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal (President) and Ms. Bimla Kumari (Member), has held Sanchar Nest Sahkari Awas Samiti Ltd. guilty of deficiency in service for failing to hand over possession of residential flats to two homebuyers even after nearly 15 years. Observing that non-delivery of possession constitutes a "continuous...

National Co-operative Consumers' Federation Excluded From Rent Control Protections Being PSU Under Rent Control Act: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court has held that the National Co-operative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF), a multi-state co-operative society, is functioning as an implementing agency of the Central Government, and qualifies as a "Public Sector Undertaking" for the purposes of Section 3(1)(b) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999. The Court observed that the expression "Public...

Kurnool Consumer Commission Directs ICICI Lombard To Pay ₹50 Lakh Accident Insurance Claim; Holds Insurer Cannot Introduce New Conditions At Claim Stage

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kurnool, comprising President Sri Karanam Kishore Kumar and members Sri N. Narayana Reddy and Smt. S. Nazima Kausar, has held that insurance companies cannot reject claims on hyper-technical grounds when the occurrence of an insured event is established by cogent evidence. The Commission partly allowed a complaint filed by the nominee of...

Theft In Reserved AC Coach: Pathankot Consumer Commission Holds Northern Railway Liable

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Pathankot, comprising President Kulwinder Singh Pannu and Member Raj Kumar Shukla, held Northern Railway liable for deficiency in service following the theft of a passenger's handbag from a reserved AC coach. The Commission observed that although Railways are generally not liable for the loss of unbooked luggage, liability...

Bank Cannot Deny Insurance Benefits By Reversing Premium After Borrower's Death: Kupwara Consumer Commission

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Baramulla/Bandipora , comprising President Peerzada Qousar Hussain and Member Ms. Nyla Yaseen, has held Jammu & Kashmir Bank and PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. liable for denying loan-linked insurance benefits after reversing the insurance premium following the borrower's death. The Commission observed that once a premium...

Solan Consumer Commission Directs Himalayan Dreams Villas To Refund ₹32 Lakh To Homebuyers For Failing To Deliver Promised Cottage

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, has held Himalayan Dreams Villas Pvt. Ltd. and its authorised signatory Vicar Walia liable for deficiency in service for failing to construct and hand over a promised cottage to homebuyers despite receiving ₹32 lakh towards the project. The Commission directed the developer to refund the amount with...

EPFO Liable For Deficiency In Service For Arbitrarily Rounding Down Employee's Service Period: Kangra Consumer Commission

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Kangra at Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), comprising President Hemanshu Mishra and Members Arti Sood and Narayan Thakur, held the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) liable for deficiency in service. It found that the EPFO had arbitrarily rounded down the complainant's service period without evidence while calculating his...

J&K Consumer Commission Holds J&K Bank Liable For Crediting FDR Proceeds To Third Party Without Valid Mandate

The Jammu & Kashmir State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jammu, comprising President (O) Smt. Nighat Sultana and Member Sh. Maheep Gupta, held Jammu & Kashmir Bank guilty of deficiency in service for unauthorisedly crediting the maturity proceeds of the complainant's Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) to a third-party account without a valid mandate. The Commission observed that...

Delhi Consumer Commission Holds Bata Liable For Not Displaying Prior Notice On Carry Bag Charges

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, South Delhi, comprising President Ms. Monika A. Srivastava and Member Ms. Kiran Kaushal, held Bata India Pvt. Ltd. liable for deficiency in service for failing to properly inform customers, before purchase, through prominent notices displayed at the store, that paper carry bags were chargeable and optional. The Commission observed...

Medical Negligence In Infant Circumcision: Malappuram Consumer Commission Awards ₹50 Lakh Compensation

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Malappuram, comprising President Sri V. Ravindran and Members Smt. R. Bindu and Sri K. Muhammed Ismail, held a doctor and a private hospital liable for medical negligence and deficiency in service. Observing that the opposite parties failed to explain the infant's severe injuries and that the hospital lacked adequate hygiene and...