राज्‍य उपभोक्‍ता विवाद प्रतितोष आयोग, उ0प्र0, लखनऊ।

सुरक्षित

अपील सं0-२३१/२०१०

(जिला फोरम/आयोग (प्रथम), आगरा द्वारा परिवाद सं0-१४६/२००१ में पारित प्रश्‍नगत निर्णय एवं आदेश दिनांक ०८-१०-२००९ के विरूद्ध)

डॉ0 रंजना बंसल मैनेजिंग डायरेक्‍टर मै0 अशोक सेल्‍स लि0 आगरा कानपुर रोड, नुनिहाई, आगरा।                                 ...........अपीलार्थी/विपक्षी सं0-१.    

बनाम

१. मै0 ओम प्रकाश आइस एण्‍ड कोल्‍ड स्‍टोरेज ११/बी, फाउण्‍ड्री नगर, आगरा।

                                              ............      प्रत्‍यर्थी/परिवादी।

२. टेलको मार्केटिंग एण्‍ड पैसेन्‍जर सपोर्ट डिवीजन, २६वॉं तल, सेण्‍टर नं0-१, मुम्‍बई तथा तीन अन्‍य।                     ............      प्रत्‍यर्थीगण/विपक्षी सं0-२ लगायत ५.

समक्ष:-

१-  मा0 श्री राजेन्‍द्र सिंह, सदस्‍य।

२-  मा0 श्री सुशील कुमार, सदस्‍य।

अपीलार्थी की ओर से उपस्थित    : श्री एस0के0 श्रीवास्‍तव विद्वान अधिवक्‍ता।   

प्रत्‍यर्थी सं0-१ की ओर से उपस्थित : श्री महेन्‍द्र कुमार मिश्रा विद्वान अधिवक्‍ता।

प्रत्‍यर्थी सं0-२ से ५ की ओर से उपस्थित: श्री राजेश चड्ढा विद्वान अधिवक्‍ता। 

दिनांक :- ११-०४-२०२२.     

मा0 श्री राजेन्‍द्र सिंह, सदस्‍य द्वारा उदघोषित

निर्णय

यह अपील, उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम १९८६ के अन्‍तर्गत जिला फोरम/आयोग (प्रथम), आगरा द्वारा परिवाद सं0-१४६/२००१ में पारित प्रश्‍नगत निर्णय एवं आदेश दिनांक ०८-१०-२००९ के विरूद्ध योजित की गयी है।

यह अपील विलम्‍ब से प्रस्‍तुत की गई है और विलम्‍ब को क्षमा करने का प्रार्थना पत्र अपीलार्थी द्वारा दिया गया है।  

हमने उभय पक्ष के विद्वान अधिवक्‍तागण की बहस सुनी तथा पत्रावली का सम्‍यक रूप से परिशीलन किया।

अपीलार्थी ने अपने विलम्‍ब क्षमा प्रार्थना पत्र में कहा है कि उसने पहली बार प्रश्‍नगत निर्णय की नकल के लिए दिनांक २२-१०-२००९ को आवेदन किया। तब उसे

-२-

मालूम हुआ कि परिवादी स्‍वीकार हो चुका है और उसे प्रमाणित प्रतिलिपि दिनांक २७-१०-२००९ को प्राप्‍त हुई। उसने इसे लखनऊ स्थित अपने अधिवक्‍ता को दिनांक १२-११-२००९ को भेजा। सम्‍बन्धित अधिवक्‍ता ने पाया कि यह प्रति अपूर्ण है और साथ ही साथ २५,०००/- रू० के ड्राफ्ट के लिए भी उसने सूचना भेजी। प्रबन्‍ध निदेशक शहर से बाहर थे इसलिए ड्राफ्ट तैयार कर लखनऊ स्थित अधिवक्‍ता को दिनांक ०७-०२-२०१० को भेजा गया जो भी विलम्‍ब हुआ वह मानव नियन्‍त्रण से बाहर था और कोई जानबूझकर विलम्‍ब नहीं किया गया है। अत: ऐसी स्थिति में विलम्‍ब क्षमा किया जाए।

प्रत्‍यर्थी की ओर से आपत्ति की गई और कहा गया कि उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम के अन्‍तर्गत उचित, युक्ति-युक्‍त और सन्‍तोषजनक आधार प्रस्‍तुत करने पर ही विलम्‍ब क्षमा किया जा सकता है। इस मामले में एक शपथ पत्र दिया गया है किन्‍तु शपथ पत्र में अपील और विलम्‍ब क्षमा प्रार्थना दोनों ही का प्रार्थना पत्र में समावेश किया गया है जो एक अनियमितता है। यदि इसे मान भी लिया जाए कि विलम्‍ब क्षमा करने का प्रार्थना के साथ है तब भी इस मामले में अन्‍य तथ्‍यों को देखना भी आवश्‍यक है।

सर्वप्रथम हम उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम के उद्देश्‍यों पर विचार करते हैं :-

Now before going to the time limit and effect of delay in filing appeal, it is better to understand the object of The Consumer Protection Act.

The Consumer Protection Act 1986 was enacted to provide for better protection of the interests of consumers and for that purpose to make provision for the establishment of Consumers Councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumers’ disputes and for matters connected therewith (Preamble).

The Act Inter alia, seeks to promote and protect the rights of consumers such as —

(1) right to be protected against marketing of goods which are hazardous to

-३-

life and property;
(2) right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices;
(3) right to be assured, wherever possible, access to variety of goods at competitive prices;
(4) right to be heard and to assured that customers’ interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums.
(5) Right to seek redressal against unfair practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers; and
(6) Right to consumer education

The objects are sought to be promoted and protected by the Consumer Protection Councils to be established at the Central and State levels.

The Act applies to all goods and services, except if otherwise provided by the Central Government by Notification. To provide speedy and simple redressal of consumer disputes, a quasi judicial machinery is set up at the District, State and Central levels. The three tier system of quasi judicial bodies will observe the principle of natural justice and are empowered to give relief of a specific nature and to award, wherever appropriate, compensation to consumers. Penalties for non-compliance of the orders given by the quasi judicial bodies have also been provided.

Thus the Consumer Protection Act is to serve the interests of the consumers. Consumer education and redressal of consumers’ grievances are the two aspects of the Act. It makes good the loss a consumer suffers and increases the feeling of responsibility of the manufacturer, trader, supplier or businessman.

-४-

The provisions of the Act have to be construed in favor of the consumer to achieve the purpose of enactment as it is social benefit oriented legislation. The primary duty of the Court while construing the provisions of such an Act is to adopt a constructive approach subject to that it should not do violence to the language of the provisions and not contrary to attempted objective of the enactment.

Extent of Consumer Protection:

While other legislations may be either punitive or preventive, the Consumer Protection Act compensates the consumer. The provisions of the Act are in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any law at the time being in force (Sec 3). In Maine Container Services South Pvt Ltd v Go Garments 1998 (3) SCC 247 it has been held that the Contract Act applies to all litigants before the Commissioner under the Consumers Protection Act. Passengers traveling in train suffering injuries and loss of Jewelry as a result of assault by unruly crowd are eligible for filing of complaint before State Commission is maintainable notwithstanding the provisions of sections 100 and 103 of Railways Act, 1889. The Consumer Protection Act therefore gives the consumer an additional remedy besides those which may be available under other existing laws. Existence of an arbitration clause in the agreement is no bar to the entertainment of complaint by the Redressal Agency as the remedy under the Act is in addition to the provisions of any other law. However, the Consumer Forums under the Act have not taken over the jurisdiction of civil Courts. If the dispute between the parties is pending in Civil Court no Consumer Forum will adjudicate the dispute. Similarly if evidence be laid by the parties to the dispute is voluminous or complicated the parties will be referred to the appropriate Civil Court.

-५-

Consumers Protection Act, thus enshrines the rights of a consumer to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, price etc., of the goods to be protected against unfair trade practices, to seek inexpensive and expeditious redressal of grievances before the Consumer Forums. Consumer Protection Act is a benevolent piece of legislation to protect a large body of consumers from exploitation.

     इसके पश्‍चात् हम उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम के उन प्राविधानों को देखते हैं, जिनमें परिवाद और अपील प्रस्‍तुत करने के सम्‍बन्‍ध में धाराऐं हैं। सर्वप्रथम एक परिवाद प्रस्‍तुत करने के सम्‍बन्‍ध में धारा २४ (ए) कहती है :-

 ["24-A. Limitation period- (1) The District Forum, the State Commission or the National Commission shall not admit a complaint unless it is filed within two years from the date on which the cause of action has arisen.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), a complaint may be entertained after the period specified in sub-section (1), if the complainant satisfies the District Forum, the State Commission or the National Commission, as the case may be, that he had sufficient cause for not filing the complaint within such period;

Provided that no such complaint shall be entertained unless the National Commission, the State Commission or the District Forum, as the case may be, records its reasons for condoning such delay]

From perusal of the aforesaid section, it transpires that the period of limitation is two years from the date on which the cause of action arose.

अपील प्रस्‍तुत करने के सम्‍बन्‍ध में धारा-१५ में व्‍यवस्‍था को स्‍पष्‍ट करती है जो निम्‍नप्रकार है :-

-६-

As far as filing of appeal is concerned the provision is as follows:

“15.       Appeal. — Any person aggrieved by an order made by the District Forum may prefer an appeal against such order to the State Commission within a period of thirty days from the date of the order, in such form and manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that the State Commission may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not finding it within that period.

Provided further that no appeal by a person, who is required to pay any amount in terms of an order of the District Forum, shall be entertained by the State Commission unless the appellant has deposited in the prescribed manner fifty per cent. of that amount or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less: ”

अब उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम के उद्देश्‍य और परिवाद तथा अपील प्रस्‍तुत करने के प्राविधानों के सम्‍बन्‍ध में कुछ न्‍यायिक दृष्‍टान्‍तों पर विचार किया जाता है, जो निम्‍नप्रकार है :-

The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India was pleased to hold in Civil Appeal No.2067 of 2002, State Bank of India vs. M/s B.S. Agricultural (I) dated 20.3.2009 at paras 15 and 16 that:

"On its plain averments, the complaint is barred by time and ought to have been dismissed as such but curiously this aspect was not examined by any of the consumer fora although specific plea to this effect was taken by the Bank.

          Since the complaint is barred by time and liable to be dismissed on that count, it would be unnecessary to examine the other grounds of challenge." 

          Considering the totality of the circumstances and view of the provisions contained under Section 24(A) of the C.P. Act and the ruling laid

-७-

down by the Hon'ble Apex Court in State Bank of India vs. M/s B.S. Agricultural (I), we are of the considered view that the complaint is barred by limitation and is liable to be dismissed. Hence, it is dismissed at the admission stage as barred by limitation.

In Anshul Agarwal Vs. New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, IV (2011) CPJ 62 (SC), it was observed by the Hon'ble Apex Court that "it is also apposite to observe that while deciding an application filed in such cases for condonation of delay, the Court has to keep in mind that special period of limitation has been  prescribed in the Consumer Protection Act for filing appeals and revisions in consumer matter and the objection of expeditious adjudication of consumer disputes will get defeated if this court was to entertain highly belated petition against the orders of Consumer Fora."

साथ ही साथ यह भी देखना है कि क्‍या समय का महत्‍व अत्‍यधिक है ? इस सम्‍बन्‍ध में उपभोक्‍ता संरक्षण अधिनियम की धारा-१३(२)(ए) के सम्‍बन्‍ध में मानननीय सर्वोच्‍च न्‍यायालय की संविधान पीठ ने अपना निर्णय दिनांक ०४-०३-२०२० द्वारा एक सुस्‍पष्‍ट और विस्‍तृत निर्णय समय के महत्‍व के सम्‍बन्‍ध में दिया है :-   

A Constitutional Bench ( 5 JJ ) of the Hon’ble Supreme Court  In the Case of New India Assurance Complainant Vs Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage Private Limited , Civil Appeal no 10941 -10942 of 2013 along with other many related Civil Appeals( judgement 04.03.2020 ) held ;

“The reference made to this Constitution Bench relates to the grant of time for filing response to a complaint under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (for short ‘the Act’).  

The first question referred is as to whether Section 13(2) (a)   of   the   Consumer   Protection   Act,   which   provides   for   the respondent/opposite party filing its response to the complaint within 30 days or such extended period, not exceeding 15 days, should   be   read   as   mandatory   or   directory;   i.e.,   whether  the District Forum has power to extend the time for filing the response beyond the period of 15 days, in addition to 30 days.

-८-

The second question which is referred is as to what would be 5 the commencing point of limitation of 30 days stipulated under the aforesaid Section.

The first question was referred by a two Judges bench of this Court vide an order dated 11.02.2016 passed in Civil Appeal No (s) 10831084 of 2016 , M/S Bhasin Infotech and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd Vs  M/S  Grand Venezia Buyers Association ( Reg), the relevant portion of which is as under :

“there is an apparent conflict between the decision of this Court in Topline Shoes Limited  vs  Corporation Bank [(2002)6 SCC 33], Kailash  vs  Nankhu [(2005)4 SCC 480] , Salem advocate Bar Association VS Union of India [(2005) 6 SCC 344] on the one hand and  J J Merchan  & Ors vs Shrinath Chaturvedi [(2002) 6 SCC 635)] and NIA Vs Hilli Multipurpose Cold Storage [ 2014 AIOL 4615] on the other in so far as the power of the courts to extend time for filing of Written Statement/reply to a complaint is concerned. The earlier mentioned line of decision take the view that the relevant provisions including those of Order 8 Rule 1 of the Civil Procedure Code 1908 are directory in nature and the Courts concerned have the power to extend time for filing the written statement. The second line of decisions which are also of coordinate Benches however takes a contrary view and hold that when it comes to power of the Consumer Fora to extend the time for filing a reply there is no such power. Since the question that falls for determination here often arises before the Consumer Fora and Commissions all over the country it will be more appropriate if the conflict is resolved by an authoritative judgement. Further since the conflict is between Benches comprising three Judges we deem it fit to refer these appeals to a five – Judge Bench to resolve the conflict once and for all. While we do so we are mindful of the fact that in the ordinary course a two – Judge Bench ought to make a reference

-९-

to a three – Judge Bench in the first place but in the facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in view the fact that the conflict is between coordinate benches That comprising three Judges a reference to 3 Judges may not suffice”

The Hon’ble Supreme Court in para 41 of the judgement has held :

“ To conclude, we hold that our answer to the first question is that The District Forum has no power to extend the time for filing the response to the complainant beyond the period of 15 days in addition to 30 days as envisaged under section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act ; and the answer to the second question is that the commencing point of limitation of 30 days under Section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act would be from the date of receipt of the notice accompanied with the complainant by the opposite party and not mere receipt of the notice of the complainant. ”

The Hon’ble Supreme Court in para 40 of the judgement has held :

“………….. we may, however, clarified that the objection of not having received a copy of the complaint along with the notice should be raised on the first date itself and not thereafter, otherwise permitted to be raised at any point later on defeat the very purpose of the Act, which is to provide simple and speedy Redressal of consumer disputes.”

इस सन्‍दर्भ में अब हम प्रश्‍नगत मामले पर विचार करते हैं। इस मामले में निर्णय दिनांक ०८-१०-२००९ को उदघोषित हुआ और निर्णय की प्रति दिनांक २७-१०-२००९ को प्राप्‍त की गई तथा यह अपील दिनांक १०-०२-२०१० को प्रस्‍तुत की गई अर्थात् इस अपील को प्रस्‍तुत करने में लगभग ९० दिन का विलम्‍ब हुआ है। अपीलार्थी ने यह कहा कि उसने अपने लखनऊ स्थित अधिवक्‍ता को प्रमाणित प्रतिलिपि भेजी जिसमें कमी थी, अत: उसने इसे वापस कर दिया। इसके पश्‍चात् कम्‍पनी के प्रबन्‍ध निदेशक शहर से बाहर थे इसलिए इस मामले में विलम्‍ब हुआ।

क्‍या प्रबन्‍ध निदेशक के अलावा किसी अन्‍य के पास कोई अधिकार नहीं था ?

-१०-

क्‍या उनका प्रभारी कोई नहीं था ? स्‍पष्‍ट है कि जो भी स्‍पष्‍टीकरण दिया गया है वह न तो युक्ति-युक्‍त है और न ही सन्‍तोषजनक है।

इस प्रकार स्‍पष्‍ट है कि इस मामले में अपीलार्थी की घोर लापरवाही परिलक्षित है और विलम्‍ब क्षमा करने का कोई भी यथोचित स्‍पष्‍टीकरण नहीं दिया गया है। अत: ऐसी स्थिति में वर्तमान अपील उपरोक्‍त न्‍यायिक दृष्‍टान्‍तों के अनुसार कालबाधित होने के आधार पर निरस्‍त होने योग्‍य है। 

आदेश

वर्तमान अपील कालबाधित होने के आधार पर निरस्‍त की जाती है।  

अपील व्‍यय उभय पक्ष पर।

      उभय पक्ष को इस निर्णय की प्रमाणित प्रति नियमानुसार उपलब्‍ध करायी जाय।

      वैयक्तिक सहायक से अपेक्षा की जाती है कि वह इस निर्णय को आयोग की वेबसाइट पर नियमानुसार यथाशीघ्र अपलोड कर दें।

                   (सुशील कुमार)                (राजेन्‍द्र सिंह)

                     सदस्‍य                         सदस्‍य                    

निर्णय आज खुले न्‍यायालय में हस्‍ताक्षरित, दिनांकित होकर उद्घोषित किया गया।

                  (सुशील कुमार)                (राजेन्‍द्र सिंह)

                     सदस्‍य                         सदस्‍य                    

प्रमोद कुमार

वैय0सहा0ग्रेड-१,

कोर्ट नं.-२.