Sri S.K.Sahoo,President.

          The  complainant  has  filed  a petition U/s. 12  of C.P.Act, 1986.

2.       The  case of the  complainant is that  he  had been granted with  a driving  licence  by the opp.party No.1 bearing Driving  Licence  No. 756 dtd. 23.02.2004 after depositing of requisite fees  .The  validity of the  said licence was from 23.02.2004  to  22.02.2024. The petitioner   started driving of his  vehicle  on the  road freely  till 11.03.2019. When he   approached  the R.T.O,Angul  to  obtain  a computerised driving  licence  in the  form of  smart card ,he  was informed  by the  opp.party No.1 that  his  licence has been expired since  05.10.2013 . Without intimation to the  complainant  the opp.party No.1  has   changed  the  expiry date of the  licence  from  22.02.2024   to 05.10.2013  . The opp.parties have  never  informed the  complaint  about such  change of  date of  validity of  driving licence  to the  complainant. The opp.party No.1   is negligent in  his  duty and there is deficiency in service of opp.party No.1. On the other hand  the opp.party No.1  disclosed that the  complainant  is to pay Rs.5,000.00  for  renewal of   his  driving  licence or  obtain  a new  one. Due to  such  conduct  of the opp.party No.1  the  complainant  suffered   mental  agony and harassment. The  negligence of opp.party No.1  is   wilful one. On 15.04.2019 the  complainant  had  issued a     notice to the opp.parties for  correction of the  expiry  date  as 22.04.2024 instead of  15.10.2013.No  reply of  such notice has been  received   by the  complainant.  Hence this  case.

3.       Notices  were issued  to  both the opp.parties by this  Forum  ( at present Commission) through Regd.post with A.D on 26.06.2019  .The  complainant  has also  filed the  tracking report  which  shows delivery of  the regd.post  letter  to  both the opp.parties on 03.07.2019.The opp.party No.2 neither appeared nor contested the case.

4.       The  written statement of opp.party No.1  is received through  post and  kept in the  case record, which appears from  order dtd. 24.07.2019. Since then both the  opp.parties remained  absent  before this  Forum. They did not participate in the  hearing. No evidence was led by both the parties.

5.       The  case  of  opp.party No.1 is that the  complainant  is not  a consumer  as per  definition Section-2(d)  of C.P.Act, 1986. The  present  complaint  is  not maintainable  before this Forum in  view of  Motor Vehicle Act  as  per the  decision reported in AIR-1995  SC 1348 . It is  a fact that  on 23.02.2004  D.L No. 756 was issued in  favour of the  complaint  in paper form. Inadvertently  the  date  of  validity   of the  licence  was mentioned  as  20.02.2024  instead of  05.10.2013. The said  entry was  contrary to  the provisions of  Section-14  of M.V Act, 1988.The  date of  birth of the  complainant is  06.10.1963  and  as per  MV Act, 1988  the  Driving Licence  issued to the complainant has  to be   lapsed  on 05.10.2013  i,e  on the date of  attainment  of the   50 years.  There  is no cause of action to  file this  case. The    complainant  can renew  his  Driving Licence in due process  of law  by taking  recourse of Section-15 of  M.V.Act 1988 read  with Rule 18 and 32  of CMV Rules,1989 or obtain   a  fresh driving  licence. The  complainant  is  not  entitled to  any relief/reliefs.

6.       The complaint petition filed by the complainant is  verified by himself. In the  complaint  petition  the  complainant has  mentioned that he  was  granted  with DL No. 756 dtd. 23.02.2004  by  opp.party No.1 after deposit of required fees. It  further  transpires   from the  complaint petition that  it  was valid  from 23.02.2004  to 22.02.2024 .The  photo  copy  of the said  D.L of the  complainant  has been filed  and  available in the  case record. On perusal of   page-1,2 & 3  it is  clear that  licence  No. 756  has been issued to the complainant  on  23.02.2004  . From page-5  of the D.L it is  also clear that the licence was valid from 23.02.2004  to 22.02.2024. It  further  transpires  from the complaint petition that on 11.03.2019  he  went  to the  office of  opp.aprty No.1, where  he  was informed that  his licence has been expired on 05.10.2013. The opp.parties have  not  produced  any  material   before this Forum that   before  cancellation/correction of  expiry date on the   licence of the  complainant,  he has been  duly  informed. Natual Justice demands that   any action  taken against  a person which  is prejudice to   his  interest should be  given an opportunity to defend himself . In the  written statement  filed  by the  opp.party No.1  at  paragraph- 5, it is clearly admitted that  inadvertently  the date of  validity has been  mentioned  as 22.02.2024 instead of  05.10.2013. There is no  dispute that  due to  negligence  of opp.parties , there  is  a wrong  entry ( as per opp.party No.1)  in the  Driving Licence of the  complainant.  A   notice has been issued to the opp.party No.1  by the complainant , as it appears from the  photo copy  of the letter dtd. 15.04.2019. The opp.party No.1 did not   feel it  proper to  reply   to the said  notice issued by the  complainant.  However  from the materials  on record it is clear  that the  complainant  is a  consumer  and there  is  deficiency  in service on the part of the opp.parties. The  complainant  has relied  on a decision reported in the case of Deputy Regional Transport  Vrs. Vijay Dillip Sirsat & another  ,disposed of on 30.04.2014  by the Hon’ble State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.  Section- 3  of C.P.Act,1986  envisages that the   provisions of  this  Act shall be in  addition to and  not derogation of  the  provisions of  any  other law  for the time  being  in  force .The complainant  has  a right  to choose the Forum. He has approached  this Forum So the present complaint  filed by the  complainant  under Consumer Protection Act, 1986 before this Forum is maintainable. Due to deficiency in service by the opp.parties the complainant was harassed and put to  mental agony .

6.       Hence order :-.

: O R D E R :

              The  case  be  and  the same is  allowed in part, exparte  against  both the opp.parties. The opp.parties are  jointly and  severally liable in this case. The  opp.parties  are directed to pay compensation  of  Rs.30,000.00 (Rupees Thirty Thousand) only  to  the   complainant   along  with litigation cost  of Rs. 5,000.00 (Rupees Five Thousand)  within a period  of  one  month from the date of  receipt of this order, failing  which the  said amount will carry  in interest  @ 9% per annum till payment is made.