Mrs. Vineeta Rai, Presiding Member—First Appeal No.428 of 2008 has been filed by New India Assurance Company Ltd., Respondent before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (hereinafter referred to as the State Commission), being aggrieved by the order of that Commission which had partly allowed the complaint filed by Gopal Gupta (Proprietor of M/s Varun Jute Industries), Original Complainant before the State Commission, and directed the Insurance Company to pay a sum of Rs.15,15,072/- alongwith Rs.20,000/- as costs to the Complainant. Being aggrieved by the award of lesser amount towards insurance claim, Complainant has also filed First Appeal No. 431 of 2008 seeking enhancement of the insurance claim to Rs.50,53,475/- alongwith interest @ 18% per annum from the date of survey report i.e. 28.03.2007.

Since the parties as also cause of action is common in both First Appeals, it is proposed to dispose of these appeals by one common order. The parties will be referred to in the manner in which they were referred to in the complaint i.e. Gopal Gupta as Complainant and New India Assurance Company Ltd. as Respondent.

2. Learned Counsels for both parties made oral submiss