Marriage, Once In Lifetime Event, Memorised Only By Photos & Video, Says Consumer Forum Holding Photographer Guilty For Not Handing Over Photos To Groom [Read Order]

Photographs capture moments which we want to hold on to as memories. And when it comes to wedding, it is said to be the most important event of one’s life, and wedding photographs are one of the most important part of the big day.

But what if the wedding photographer fails to handover the photographs and video of the once in a lifetime event.

A resident of north east Delhi had to face the unpleasant situation right after his marriage when the photographer did not give him the photographs and video of his wedding even after three years of marriage, that, too, despite taking 80 per cent of the payment and the groom making many rounds of the photographer, before finally moving the consumer forum.

Hearing his plea, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (north east) observed, “Marriage ceremony is once in a life time event and is memorised only by photographs and video DVD made with respect thereof which the complainant was deprived of due to gross misdemeanour on the part of opposite party despite receiving 80% of the total consideration amount for the same on different occasions from the complainant but the OP still failed to handover the photograph and DVD of complainant’s marriage till date without assigning any reason whatsoever”.

The forum’s bench of president N K Sharma and member Sonica Mehrotra also awarded him a compensation of Rs 10,000 for loss of enjoyment of reliving the memorable moments.

In the instant case, the complainant had hired the services of the photo studio for covering his marriage ceremony. The fee was fixed at Rs 15,000 for 250 photographs and video DVD and the complainant was assured of best professional services.

The complainant paid Rs 1,000 in advance.

The marriage ceremony of the complainant was solemnized on December 2, 2015, and he paid Rs 10,000 to the photographer on the wedding night while the balance amount was to be paid after receiving the photograph and DVD.

The photographer promised to hand over the same in 10 days after marriage.

The newly-weds tried to reason with the photographer who demanded more money, but despite being paid Rs 12,500 and served with a legal notice, never handed over the photographs or the DVD.

The complainant submitted before the forum that the OP had clicked memorable moments of his marriage, which cannot be replayed ever, and that he has been deprived of enjoyment of marriage photographs and DVD and sought a compensation of Rs 50,000.

The forum considered the ex parte evidence and held, “In the facts and circumstances of the case we hold the OP guilty of deficiency in service for failure to honour the commitment of providing photograph and DVD of the complainant marriage to him despite receiving and acknowledging a major portion of the consideration.

“Accordingly, we now direct the OP to handover photograph and DVD of the marriage dated 2.12.2015 to the complainant or in the alternative pay a sum of Rs. 12,500 alongwith interest at 8% from the date 9.3.2016 (i.e. date of acknowledgement receipt of Rs. 12,500) till realization. We also award a compensation of Rs. 10,000 on the account of mental harassment and physical pain, deficiency in service, loss of enjoyment and Rs. 3,000 towards cost of litigation…”