ORAL 

STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, UTTAR PRADESH, LUCKNOW

COMPLAINT CASE NO. 146 OF 2024

Dr. Girish Kumar Singh,

R/o Flat No.101, Eldeco Empereur Apartment,

191, Dr. Baijnath Road, New Hyderabad,

Lucknow & Others….                                                     ….Complainants

VERSUS        

The Secretary,

Eldeco Empereur Apartment Owners Association

191, Dr. Baijnath Road, New Hyderabad,

Lucknow …                                                                    ….Opposite Party

BEFORE:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHOK KUMAR, PRESIDENT

Dated : 28-10-2024             

ORDER

BY MR. JUSTICE ASHOK KUMAR, PRESIDENT

          The instant complaint has been filed by the complainants before this Court for the following relief :-  

“1. Order a stay with immediate effect, on the resolution passed by the incumbent EB dated 23-06-2024 and maintain status quo ante 01-07-2024.

2. Appoint an Arbitrator under the supervision of the Hon'ble Court to ensure safety of the corpus fund.

3. Pass any other order(s) that the Hon'ble Court may deem fit and Just in the circumstances.”

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The complaint was initially heard and after hearing the learned Counsel for the complainants, following order has been passed on    03-09-2024 :-

“वाद पुकारा गया।

     परिवादी के विद्धान अधिवक्ता श्री नीरज गुप्ता उपस्थित आए उन्हें सुना गया। विपक्षी को कार्यालय द्वारा पंजीकृत डाक से दो सप्ताह की अवधि में नोटिस जारी की जावे। नोटिस की पैरवी एक सप्ताह की अवधि में की जावे।

      परिवादी के विद्धान अधिवक्ता को आदेशित किया जाता है कि वह विपक्षी को दस्ती माध्यम से 06 सप्ताह की अवधि में नोटिस प्राप्त कराया जाना सुनिश्चित करें। दस्ती नोटिस की पैरवी एक सप्ताह की अवधि में की जाये तदोपरान्त विपक्षी अपना लिखित उत्तर नियमानुसार दी गयी समयावधि के अंदर परिवादी के विद्धान अधिवक्ता को प्रति प्राप्त कराकर कार्यालय में प्रस्तुत किया जाना सुनिश्चित करें, जिसका प्रति उत्तर शपथ पत्र 02 सप्ताह की अवधि में परिवादी के विद्धान अधिवक्ता द्वारा विपक्षी के विद्धान अधिवक्ता को प्रति प्राप्त कराकर कार्यालय में प्रस्तुत किया जाना सुनिश्चित किया जावे।

       प्रस्तुत वाद को सुनवाई हेतु दिनांक 16-12-2024 को सूचीबद्ध किया जावे।

      विपक्षी को आदेशित किया जाता है कि वह परिवादी से मेन्टीनेंस चार्जेज के रूप में निश्चित

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तिथि तक किसी भी प्रकार की वसूली नहीं करेंगे अर्थात निश्चित तिथि तक विपक्षी द्वारा परिवादी के विरुद्ध किसी भी प्रकार की न तो उत्पीड़नात्मक कार्यवाही की जावेगी न ही मेन्टीनेंस चार्जेज के रूप में कोई धनराशि ही वसूल की जावेगी।”

The date has been fixed vide order dated 03-09-2024 being 16-12-2024 and the complainants were directed to serve the notice upon the opposite party within time indicated in the order dated 03-09-2024 and the opposite party was directed to submit its reply within the time and further this Court has directed that the opposite party will not charge any money under maintenance charges till next date of hearing i.e. 16-12-2024  nor any coercive steps/method will be applied by the opposite party.

Suddenly an application has been moved by learned Counsel for the complainants dated 14-10-2024, copy of the said application dated 14-10-2024 was sent to the Counsel for the opposite party (not to the opposite party) in which the complainants have made/prayed for the following reliefs :-

“1. That the administrative and financial powers be withdrawn with immediate effect and be vested in the office of the Deputy Registrar, (Lucknow Division) Society, Firms & Chits till pendency of the case, so that funds of the RWA remain protected from any misappropriation, which the Complainants strongly feel apprehensive about. This will also end the OP's powers to harass the Complainants in vengeance, despite prohibiting court orders.

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2. The designated party will restore power back-up facility of the Complainant No-2 & 4 or any other by generator with immediate effect and not resort to life endangering coercive actions as done by OP towards petitioners. This will also ensure strict compliance of orders of the Hon'ble Court, reversing past and preventing future vindictive action against Complainants

3. The admin(s) of the whatsapp group of the RWA, be ordered to immediately restore the whatsapp membership of the Complainant No4 and post an apology for having removed from the group with mala fide intent.

4. The OP be ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 5,00,000.00 (Rupees Five Lakhs Only) for the mental agony and sufferings caused to theComplainant No -4 by putting the life in danger, entailing the risk of imminent death.

5. The OP be made to ensure that this compensation is not paid from the funds held by the RWA, for it is the public money, but from the pockets of the EB members themselves.

6. The OP be further ordered that the fee of the Counsel should not be paid from the funds held by the RWA, for again, it is the public money, but from the pockets of the EB members themselves.

7. The Hon'ble Court is prayed with humility to order the appointment of an independent Arbitrator to control the financial matters of the RWA.

8. The Hon'ble Court is prayed with humility to order the police to register FIR under appropriate sections against the EB members for having abetted the life endangering acts of ommission or commission by OP, in vengeance despite

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prohibiting court orders, thereby having posed an imminent risk of death of the Complainant No 4.

9. Any other order which the Hon'ble Court may deem fit to impose upon the OP in the current circumstances defying the Hon'ble Court's order and fearlessly committing contempt of court.”

          The aforesaid application moved on 14-10-2024 was listed on 16-10-2024, though there was no such order passed by this Court for listing the same on 16-10-2024.

          The office is directed to submit the explanation how the said application was/is listed on 16-10-2024 when there was no order passed by this Court to list the same on 16-10-2024.  

          At the time of hearing on 16-10-2024 the sole opposite party Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur was not present as he was not aware that the said application will got listed even without any order passed by the Court.

          Based on the submission of the learned Counsel for the complainants and after perusal of the order dated 03-09-2024 and as intimated by learned Counsel for the complainants, this Court has proceeded in the matter and has accepted the submission of Counsel for the complainants that the interim order passed by this Court has not been complied with by the sole opposite party i.e. The Secretary of the RWA/opposite party.

          This Court has further noticed that the name of Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, advocate was shown in the daily cause-list dated 16-10-2024 whereas in the original record of the instant complaint till that date of neither 16-10-2024 the vakalatnama nor any kind of document is/are available, allegedly filed by Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, advocate.  

          Now the question remains as to how the name of Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur has been shown in the daily cause-list. The office is therefore directed to submit the explanation within 03 weeks from today for the same.

          Since the name of Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur was shown in the daily cause-list and Sri Neeraj Gupta, learned Counsel for the complainants have inform the Court that he has sent the copy of the application/

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affidavit dated 14-10-2024 through registered post to Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, advocate. The application dated 14-10-2024 has been entertained by this Court.

          This Court has therefore categorically mentioned in the order dated 16-10-2024 that Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, advocate is not present nor he has filed any reply to the instant complaint petition/application.

In such background accepting the submission made by the Counsel for the complainants, the Court has therefore proceeded to pass the order dated 16-10-2024 whereby for personal appearance of the Secretary of the opposite party, Eldeco Empereur Apartment Owners Association was ordered.

When the matter is taken up today, Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, learned Counsel for the opposite party has submitted that he has already sent the reply to the complaint through registered post to Sri Neeraj Gupta, Counsel for the complainant on 06/09-10-2024. Sri Neeraj Gupta, Counsel for the complainant has received the copy of the reply on the very next day i.e. on 10-10-2024, however, he has not informed about the same to the Court on 16-10-2024.

Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, advocate has moved an application supported by an affidavit on behalf of opposite party dated 25-10-2024, a copy of which has been received by Dr. Neeraj Gupta, advocate for the complainants on 25/26-10-2024.

In the said application and affidavit, The Secretary of the opposite party has not only prayed for her discharge from her personal appearance ordered by this Court but also has prayed for dismissal of the instant complaint. In the affidavit certain new facts are brought to the notice to this Court.

This fact have been brought to the notice of this Court by the learned Counsel for the opposite party that the complainants are not paid the maintenance charges in pursuance of the interim order dated 03-09-2024 passed by this Court. It is not disputed between the parties and the learned Counsels represents the respected parties that all the complainants were office bearer of the Eldeco Empereur Apartment

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Owners Association (opposite party association) during the previous years or prior formation of the new/present association.

The submission of Sri Shirish Kumar Gaur, learned Counsel for the opposite party is that the complainant no. 1, 2, 3 & 4 were elected as President, Treasurer, Secretary and Vice-President respectively of the respondent society prior to incorporation of the present association. He has further informed the Court that there is certain dispute between the past and present office bearer of the Association/Society particularly between the complainants and the present President of the Association.

Sri Neeraj Gupta, learned Counsel for the complainants have filed an affidavit of one Sri Nanku, Son of Mithu Lal claiming him as working as Electrician in the opposite party society since last 12 years who has filed his affidavit stating therein as follows :-

“मैं ननकू, आयु 51वर्ष, पुत्र श्री मिठ्ठू लाल, निवासी 274/255/13 मीना मोटर गैराज, वी.टी.सी., राजेन्द्र नगर, लखनऊ, यह कथन करता हूँ कि मैं आर.डब्लू.ए., एल्डको एम्प्रेर अपार्टमेंट, न्यू हैदराबाद, लखनऊ, 226007, में लगभग 12 वर्षों से इलेक्ट्रीशियन के पद पर कार्यरत हूँ।

1. मेरा कार्य इलेक्ट्रीशियन के अतिरिक्त, जनरेटर, सोलर पैनल और पानी की मोटर इत्यादि का रखरखाव है ।

2. दिनांक 10.9.24 को मैंने श्री राजीव सक्सेना अध्यक्ष आर.डब्लू.ए., के आदेश के अनुपालन में फ्लैट 1102 निवासी श्री अरुण श्रीवास्तव एवम 11.10.24 को 101 और 102 के निवासी डॉक्टर

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गिरीश कुमार सिंह, 1104 निवासी श्री मोहित लाल एवं 1103 निवासी श्री शरद पांडे का भी बिल्डिंग के जनरेटर द्वारा पावर बैकअप से विछेद कर दिया।

3.उक्त कथन पूर्णतया सत्य है एवं इसमें कुछ भी छिपाया नहीं गया है।”

From the perusal of the contents mentioned hereinabove allegedly made by Electrician of the Society, this Court further found that there are certain private dispute in between the past office bearers and the present office bearers of the opposite party society.

In view of above, this Court found no basis to further proceed the instant complaint as the complaint is not covered under the provisions of Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

Accordingly, the complaint is dismissed.

The interim order dated 03-09-2024 as well as order dated 16-10-2024 are hereby set-aside.

However, it is open to the respective parties to approach the appropriate Court/Competent Authority in accordance with law.

                          (JUSTICE ASHOK KUMAR)                                   

                                      PRESIDENT                                                                        

Ashish

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