Consumer Cases Weekly Round-Up: 9th October 2023 to 15th October 2023

NCDRC Orders Haryana Transport Department To Pay Compensation For Its Failure To Prevent Smoking Inside Public Buses

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (“NCDRC”) bench comprising Dr Inder Jit Singh (Presiding Member) directed the Haryana State Transport Department to take appropriate measures to stop the menace of smoking inside the public buses by the drivers, conductors and passengers. The NCDRC emphasized that the State Transport Department would be separately liable to compensate each of the complainants who availed its services, however, these complaints will be treated as consumer disputes rather than public interest litigations.

Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Child Born Without Lower Limbs & Hips: Kerala State Commission Directs St. Luke Hospital And Doctors To Pay Rs. 50 Lakh Compensation For Failure To Detect Abnormality

The Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, presided by Mr. Ajith Kumar D. along with Mr. Radhakrishnan K.R. allowed a consumer complaint against St. Luke Hospital alleging medical negligence on their part. The complainants claimed that they were not given proper medical care during pregnancy, which resulted in their child being born without lower limbs and a hip. They argued that the medical professionals failed to detect the foetal abnormality through proper ultrasound scans and that timely information could have led to a different outcome.

Rajarhat, Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Hotel Rooms Not As Shown On Website: Rajarhat District Commission Directs Goibibo & Hotel To Refund Booking Amount Rs.14,550/ And Other Expenses

The Rajarhat, Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, led by Mr. Sankar Kumar Ghosh and Mrs. Sagarika Sarkar, allowed a consumer complaint against the CEO of Goibibo. The complaint accused Goibibo of deficiency in services and unfair trade practices. The complainant had booked a hotel (Opposite Party no. 2) through Goibibo (Opposite Party no. 1) for the Kumbha Mela festival in Allahabad, only to discover upon arrival that the hotel did not meet the advertised standards. This led the complainant to seek alternative accommodation in Varanasi. Initially, Goibibo offered a 50% refund, but they later withdrew the offer, citing limited responsibility for the hotel's service quality.

New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-VI

Ethiopian Airlines Held Liable For Deficiency In Services, New Delhi District Commission Orders Compensation And Litigation Cost

The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-VI, led by Ms. Poonam Chaudhary along with Mr. Bariq Ahmad and Mr. Shekhar Chandra, allowed a consumer complaint against Ethiopian Airlines alleging deficiency in their services. The complaint was regarding a 2011 incident where the complainant (an NGO delegate to a UN conference in Durban), purchased an air ticket from Ethiopian Airlines. He had "on-arrival Visa support" from UN authorities, exempting him from standard visa requirements. However, at the airport, his "on-arrival visa support" was deemed invalid without explanation which caused him to miss his flight, face delays, and incur extra expenses. The Consumer Commission, as a result, found this to be a clear service deficiency and directed the airline to compensate him with Rs. 50,000/- for the losses along with Rs. 25,000/- as litigation costs.

Rewari District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Rewari Commission Orders One Plus’s Service Centre To Pay Rs 20k Compensation For Failure To Deliver Phone After Repairing

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Rewari bench comprising of Sanjay Kumar Khanduja (President) and Rajender Parshad (Member) held a One Plus Exclusive Service Centre liable for deficiency in service for not returning the mobile phone of the complainant after it was repaired.

Can’t Charge Additional Amount On Occupation Certificate, Rewari Commission Orders HUDA To Refund Fee, Pay Compensation And Legal Expenses

The Rewari District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission bench comprising of Sanjay Kumar Khanduja (President) and Rajender Parshad (Member) held Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) liable of unfair trade practices for charging additional sum from the complainant for an occupation certificate even though the allotment letter for the plot was issued back in 1999.

Panchkula District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Sub-Standard Cake, Panchkula District Commission Holds Nik Bakers Liable, Directs Refund & Compensation

The Panchkula District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission presided by Mr. Satpal Singh along with Dr. Sushma Garg and Dr. Barhm Prakash Yadav as members partly allowed a consumer complaint against Nik Bakers. The consumer alleged that the cake she ordered from the bakery for her son’s birthday was of “sub-standard”. She claimed that the cake had unhealthy dye (colours) that left red marks on their hands and made her son sick. Despite her multiple emails informing the bakery of the issue, they did not respond adequately.

Kollam Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Intentional Non-Delivery Of Interview Letter, Kollam District Commission Orders Postman And Postal Authorities To Compensate Applicant

The Kollam Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission bench comprising of S.K. Sreela (President), Sandhya Rani (Member) and Stanly Harold (Member) held a Postman, Post Master and Senior Superintendent of Post Office liable of deficiency in service for not delivering the interview call letter for a Co-operative Bank due to Post Man’s ongoing family dispute with the complainant.