Thiruvallur: The Tiruvallur Consumer Court on Friday levied a fine of Rs 15,000 on a supermarket that sold a popular guava juice at Rs 18 more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). The court ordered a case based on a complaint filed by Raja who bought the juice bottle on February 25.
Raja, a resident of the Anjaneyapuram area of Kakkalur, in his statement, said that the printed MRP on the juice bottle was Rs 125 but the supermarket charged him Rs 143.
Despite enquiring the market manager about the discrepancy in the price charged, he refused to give a proper answer to Raja, thus forcing him to send a legal notice to the supermarket demanding a refund of Rs 18 that was charged above the MRP price.
Despite the legal notice, the supermarket management did not respond, compelling the aggrieved customer to go ahead and file a case at the Thiruvallur District Consumer Court, seeking compensation of Rs. 3.5 lakhs, citing evidence including details of the amount charged above the MRP price.
In the order issued by the President of the Thiruvallur District Consumer Court, Latha Maheshwari, who heard the case, it was mentioned: 'The private supermarket management should refund Rs 18 collected from the customer above the MRP price. He also should be given Rs 10,000 as compensation for causing him mental distress and Rs 5,000 for the legal costs borne by him, making it a total of Rs. 15,000.'
In the case of Consumer Grievance Redressal Organisations, the suit can be filed in the District Consumer Courts if the value of the compensation claimed for the cost of goods or service defect is up to Rs 20 lakhs. Similarly, if it is more than Rs 20 lakhs but less than Rs 1 crore, one can file the case at the State Consumer Commission. However, if it is more than Rs 1 crore, then a case can be filed with the National Consumer Commission.
A complaint must be filed within two years of the incident. There is no fee for filing a complaint. Stamp paper is not required to give confirmation. Complaints can be registered by post or in person by the complainant or a person authorised by him. Also, you do not need a lawyer to represent you.
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