Mr. Justice S.S. Sandhawalia, President – Whether a person who has hired out his services to another is within the ambit of the definition of a consumer under the Act? This is the primal threshold question in this complaint.

2. The facts merit notice with brevity. On the complainant’s own showing he is a contractor and supplier of various construction materials to the Government or private business houses at Tohana. The opposite party M/s. Nuchem Plastic Limited is a concerned engaged in various business and trade activities. Opposite party No. 2, the Executive Director of the said concern engaged the services of the complainant vide a purchase order for the filling of the land of their project located at the Hisar-Chandigarh road for a total consideration of Rs. 4,90,450/-. It is the complainant’s case that he carried out the aforesaid order and thereafter approached the opposite party for the payment of the amount afore-mentioned. However, the allegation is that they used dilatory tactics and despite persistent demands and visits the payment was not made. The present complaint has been preferred for the relief that the opposite parties be directed to pay the sum of Rs. 4,90,4