UTTARANCHAL STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES
REDRESSAL COMMISSION, DEHRADUN
Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.D. Shahi, President &
Mr. Surendra Kumar, Member
TATA ENGINEERING AND LOCOMOTIVE CO. LTD. & ORS.—Appellants
versus
GIRIJA SHANKER TAMTA—Respondent
Appeal No. 456 of 2004—Decided on 19.4.2005
Counsel for the Parties :
For the Appellants :Mr. Manoj Kohli, Advocate.
For the Respondent:Mr. Afzaal Ahmed, Advocate.
Mr. Surendra Kumar, Member—This is an appeal against the order dated 23.8.2004 passed by the District Forum, Nainital following the dictum of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the ruling reported in I (2004) CPJ 9 (SC), Jose Philip Mampillil v. Premier Automobiles Ltd. and Another, whereby:
(a) The opposite parties were directed to hand over the car to the complainant within one month without charging any amount.
(b) The complainant was directed to take his vehicle from the workshop of the opposite party No. 1 within one month and then to take the vehicle to any authorized workshop of District Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar or Bareilly for repairs and to inform the appellants regarding the repairs by registered notice and the opposite parties were directed to ensure within one week whether the said car has been placed in that workshop.
(c) In the said garage the vehicle in question the repairs of the vehicle shall be commenced. The appellants will not be at liberty to file any complaint regarding the repairs of the vehicle in any Court. After the repairs of the vehicle in the said workshop, the complainant will send a registered notice to the opposite parties and the opposite parties will ensure within one week of receipt of the notice whether the vehicle has been fully repaired.
(d) The appellants were directed jointly and severally to pay the bill of repairs to the owner of that workshop.
(e) The appellants were further directed to pay a compensation of Rs. 20,000/-, loading charges of Rs. 5,000/- and cost of litigation of Rs. 1,500/- to the complainant.
(f) In case of non-payment within one month, the opposite parties were directed to pay interest on Rs. 26,500/- @ 10% from the date of complaint till the actual date of payment.
The brief facts of the case are that the complainant purchased a Tata Indica Car on 31.5.2000 for Rs. 2,76,172.52 from the showroom of opposite party No. 1. It is alleged that there was guarantee of 18 months. At the time of purchase he has appointed Sh. Mahesh Singh as his driver, who was having licence to drive light motor vehicle. It is said that the complainant was also an experienced driver. He was using the vehicle for his personal use and he was using the vehicle to go to his office Didihat from his residence Barinaag and he was using the vehicle for small distance. It is further alleged that in November 2000, the defect in the gearbox occurred, which was informed to the opposite party No. 1. After 15 days of the information, the mechanic of the opposite party No. 1 came to Chaukari Village, Barinaag, where the vehicle was standing. The vehicle was checked by the mechanic and he brought the vehicle in working condition. The vehicle again became defective after 4 days, which was due to defect in gearbox. Information was given immediately to opposite party No. 1 but the opposite party No. 1 did not hear. Again the opposite party No. 1 was informed. After information, the mechanic of the opposite party No. 1 came to Barinaag but the vehicle could not be repaired. On the advice of the mechanic, the complainant loaded the vehicle in the truck and brought the vehicle to the workshop of opposite party No. 1 on his expenditure and the vehicle was lying in the workshop of opposite party No. 1 since 19.12.2000. The vehicle was handed over to the complainant on 22.1.2001. After sometime again the gearbox of the vehicle got defected and there was problem in driving the vehicle. The opposite party was informed regarding the defect in the vehicle but they did not repair the vehicle. On 23.3.2001 the complainant sent a registered notice to the opposite party No. 1 for the replacement of vehicle but it did not reply the said notice. It is alleged that there was defect in the vehicle from the very beginning. Thereafter the complainant filed the complaint.
3. The opposite parties filed their joint written statement and alleged that the complainant has not given full details in reply of their letter dated 22