MRS. SUSMITA MISHRA, PRESIDENT (I/C):-

            The  Complainant namely  Sri Suresh Chandra  Rout has filed   this consumer  complaint  Under Section -35 of  the   Consumer  Protection Act,2019  alleging deficiency in Postal Service  against the above-names Ops and seeking the following reliefs:-

         “ Directed  to pay all the maturity Amount  of  Fifteen Bond  Papers(NSCs)  along with  interest  therein till the filing of the complaint and to pay Rs.50,000/- as compensation for  mental agony  and harassment and  also directed to pay Rs.5,000/- towards  the cost of litigation”

1. The  facts as per the Complaint Petition in short  is that the Complainant had  purchased  Fifteen(15) “ 6-years  National Saving  Certificates” ( in  short “NSC”) from the OP No.1 i.e (Sub-Post   Master, Gobindpur  Kutchery Branch, At/Post:-Govindpur Kutchery, Dist:-Kendrapara) on 03.01.2012 .All the NSCs  had been purchased in the name of the Complainant, mentioned above. They face value of each  NSCs  was Rs. 10,000/- (total value of Rs. 1,50,000/-) .The Maturity value of each NSCs  was Rs.23,400/-  after  ten years.   In this case the maturity date  of the NSCs was on 03.01.2022.The  Complainant  approached  the Ops after 10 years   for the encashment  of the NSCs on maturity but the Ops  returned to  encash only on  one NSC out of fifteen NSC bearing  No.85EE572945  and refused to make payment  of the maturity value of Rs.23,400/- .The Ops  only agreed to  pay Rs.18,115/- instead of  Rs.23,400/- as per maturity value after five  years. After that, the Complainant  raised his voice  regarding  the maturity period  is 10 years  of the above -saided   NSCs  and  did not agreed  to accept such encashment of Rs.18,115/- before the Ops. Thereafter  the Complainant  approached Op No. 2   regarding  his problem to encash of his NSCs, the  OP No.2  informed the Complainant that  the Sun-Post Master  who was in charge   of Govindpur  Kutchery so immediately made the mistake and manually  mentioned  10 years  NSCs on the face of  all the certificates instead of 5 years  NSCs. On  13.01.2022, the Complainant  sent a letter to the Superintendent  of Post Offices, Kendrapara,  Dist:-Kendrapara  stating all the facts with a request for making further  payment of Rs.23,400/- as per 10 years NSCs, but  there was no response.Hence, the Complainant filed a consumer complaint before the District Commissions for  financial loss, mental agony  and harassment due to deficiency in service  on the part of the Postal Department.
2. The Ops are the “Postal  Department”  filed  their  written version through   their learned Advocate   Mohammed Nayeem”. The  Ops  by filing the written version stated that  except  some  specifically admitted  facts, all  other averments made in the Complaint  petition  are  denies. It is stated by the Ops   that the National saving  Certificates( VIII-Issue) Rules,1889   came into force son 08.05.1989. As per Rules 15 of Rules-1889, “ the maturity period of a certificate of any denomination shall be six  years ( 6 years) commencing  from the date of the certificate(Annexure-R/1). It is submitted by the  Ops  that the Complainant had applied for purchase of  15 numbers  of 10 years  NSCs (IX Issue)  for Rs.10,000/-  each at Govindapur  Kutcheri Sub-Post Office through SAS  Agent  unavailability of such   certificates  the then Sub-Post  Master  (OP No.1)  had issued  15 numbers   of  6 years  NSCs( VIII Issue)  vide Regd.No.390  to  400 and certificates  No.85EE572945  to 85EE572959 and inadvertently  modified the terms and maturity amount of the certificates a 10 years  NSC instead  of  5 years NSC manfully (Annexure-R/3). The NSC were purchased  through the Authorised Agents. So the Sub-Post Master was not supposed to discuss about the schemes directly with the customers. The Complainant is accusing the Department due to his communication gap with the SAS Agent. It Is further  submitted by the Ops that as the facts were already intimated to the Complainant by the Sub Post Master, Govindpur Kutchery,  so  vide his letter dated  05.05.2016, the Department  is  not in a position to act beyond   rules  and pay the NSCs  having  5 years  terms with an interest  rate  applicable for  10 years terms. In view of the above facts, the Complainant is not entitled to get any relief as prayed in this complaint and thus  it is  liable to be dismissed with costs.
3. We have  heard the Complainant  in person and after  perusal of the complaint  petition,  written versions of the Ops and documents  filed by both the parties,  the following  issue are framed:-

1.  Whether the Ops  are actually deficient  in providing  its  services  to the Complaint or not ?
2. What  relief the Complaint is entitled to get ?

 Issue No.1-

             Deficiency in Postal Services is the main grievance of the Complainant. It is the admitted fact that  Sri Suresh Chandra  Rout   @  Sri Suresh  Rout , the Complainant had  purchased  15 numbers  of  6 years  NSCs(VIII Issue)  vide  Regd. No.  390 to 404 and certificate No.85EE  572945  to 85EE  572959  for  Rs.10,000/-  each in toto Rs.1,50,000/- at Govindapur Kutcheri, Sub-Post Post Office, Kendrapara, Dist:-Kendrapara on 03.01.2012  and the maturity value of each NSCs  was Rs.23,400/-  after ten (10) years  i.e the date of maturity of all the 15  nos.of NSCs  was on 03.01.2022 in  toto   Rs.3,51,000/- (Rupees  three  lakch fifty one thousand) only  (Annexure C-1 to  C-8 and Annexure : R/3 series  Pgs  10  to 24) .

It is submitted by the  Ops  that, the  Department  of  Posts, vide  SB  orders No 23/2011  conveyed that decision of the Ministry of Finance  (DEA)  to revise  the maturity period of  existing  6 years  NSC(VIII)  issue to Five (5)  years  from the NSCs  issued on or after 01.12.2011   (Annexure R/2).  Due  of unavailability   of 15 numbers of  10 years NSCs (IX Issue)  for Rs.10,000/-  each, the then Sub-Post Mater,   Govindpur Kutcheri   Sub-Post Office  had issued  15 numbers   of  6 years  NSCs (VIII Issue)  and inadvertently  modified  the terms and maturity amount of the Certificates as 10 years  NSCs  instead  of 5 years  NSCs  manually vide   Certificate  No.85EE572945  to 85EE572959. Further it is  submitted by the   OPs  that during the course   of time in the year  2016  the inadvertent  mistake, came to the light and the Sub Post Master, Govindpur, Kutchery  (Op No.1)  had issued one letter to the complaint vide his letter No.262/Misc.NSC  corrigendum Vide  No. RO560960954IN  on dated  05.05.2014  and  informed the depositor  that the Regd. No  390  to 404 ( 15 nos)  NSCs may be read as  5 years  NSCs instead of  10 years  NSCs and the maturity value as admissible by Government of India   & DOP   NSC Rules (Annexure-R/4,Page-5).

As per  record,  in this regards, the Ops  were  neither  produced the Regd/RL Receipt  on dated 05.05.2016 nor  furnished the Postal Tracking Report  bearing RL No. RO560960954IN.

Further  it is submitted by the OPs  that on representation dated  13.01.2022 was received  from the applicant/Complainant  wherein he stated that out of 15  nos of  NSCs (No.85EE572945  to 85EE572959)  each of  denomination of Rs.10,000/-  one certificate  No.85EE572945  is closed and the maturity value accrued  is of  Rs.18115/-  (Principal – Rs.10,000/- , interest Rs.5090/- and Post Maturity  interest  of Rs.3025/-  instead  of Rs.23,400/-  (Annexure :C-11) . But  as per  the details manually written on the certificates  the maturity amount is Rs.23,400/-  each and maturity date is 03.01.2022. So  he took back rest certificate  without encashment.

As per records  and in view of  the above facts and circumstances we are of the opinion that it was a fit case for  holding a departmental inquiry  by the Ops prior to filing a consumer complaint by the Complainant and it is the sole responsible of the Ops that issue of  15 nos of 6 yrs NSCs to the Complainant which maturity period of 5 years as per SB order No. 23/2011 of the Department of Posts, Govt. of India after proper verification. In the instant case, act of issuing the 15 nos. of 6-year NSCs bearing Regd. No. 390 to 404, wherein it is mentioned that each NSC’s maturity value was Rs. 23,400/- and the date of maturity was on dt. 03.01.2022 itself amounts to deficiency in service or negligence on the part of the Ops which caused financial loss, mental agony and harassment to the complainant and as per provisions of the Consumer Protection act, 2019, the Ops were liable to compensate the consumer/complainant loss or injury, mental agony and harassment suffered by him due to their (Ops) negligent.

Issue No.2-

            As the Ops are deficient in their service to the Complainant accordingly the Complainant entitled for relief as per prayer of the Complainant . Ref- Case-laws: Union of India vrs Hari Shankar Gupta, II (2003) CPJ 106(UP). Hence the order-

                                                O R D E R

In the  light of above facts  and circumstances, the complaint is allowed against the Ops. We therefore, directed the Ops to pay a sum of Rs. 3,51,000/-(Rupees Three Lakh Fifty One Thousand) only towards the maturity amounts of 15 nos. of NSCs alongwith simple interest @ 6 % from the date of maturity i.e from dt. 03.01.2022 to till date of payment. Further the Ops are directed to pay Rs. 10,000/- (Rs. Ten thousand) towards compensation as financial loss, mental agony and harassment undergone by the Complainant alongwith Rs. 2,000/- towards cost of the litigation to the Complainant. within  a 45 days from the date of receipt of this order, failing which the Complainant is at liberty to take step as per Provisions of the C.P.Act, 2019.

With the aforesaid observation and direction the present C.C.Case No 15/2024 is hereby allowed and accordingly disposed off.

          Issue extract of the order to the parties for compliance.   

   Pronounced in the open Commission, on this the 28^th  day of October,2024.           

                            I, agree,

                              Sd/-                                                       Sd/-

                          MEMBER                                          PRESIDENT (I/C)