2014 Supreme(UK) 43

STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION,
UTTARAKHAND, DEHRADUN
B.C. Kandpal and C.C. Pant, JJ.
M/S. SKODA AUTO INDIA PVT. LTD. & ORS. – Appellants
Versus
SH. BHAWESH NARULA – Respondent
First Appeal No. 127/2011
Decided on : 10.03.2014

Headnote:(A) Consumer Protection Act, 1986, Sec. 13(1)(c) — Provisions of — Sending the vehicle to appropriate laboratory for analysis — When the appellants had admitted the defect in the vehicle and that the fuel injection system of the vehicle had gone defective — No question of sending the vehicle to any laboratory for examination/analysis — Vehicle was with O.P. No. 3 and it could have got the vehicle examined from an independent mechanic/laboratory in the presence of the complainant, to find out the actual reason behind the problem in the vehicle, but the same was not done in the instant case — No benefit of provision of Sec. 13(1)(c), Act 1986 to the Opposite Party.

        (Para 9)

       (B) Territorial Jurisdiction — O.P. No. 1/manufacturing company had dealers through out the country and party No. 3 was situated at Haldwani, District Nainital — Also, no dispute that the complainant had taken his vehicle to the O.P. No. 3 for repair work and the vehicle was still lying with it — Therefore, part of cause of action in the instant case, had risen in favour of the complainant within the territorial jurisdiction of District Forum, Nainital — Hence said District Forum had not erred in entertaining the consumer complaint and deciding it on merit by the order impugned. (Para 10)

       (C) Consumer Protection Act, 1986 — Claim for compensation — Manufacturing defect in the vehicle — In the instant case, the problem of pick-up in the vehicle persisted even after repairs of the vehicle — And O.P. No. 3 took more than four months in repairing the vehicle — Thus, in the present case, the facts speak themselves and are sufficient to prove that there was inherent manufacturing defect in the vehicle — Also, there was no question of replacement of any part of the vehicle for the reason that even after repeated repairs the vehicle was not free from defect and the defect was still persisting — Hence appellants liable to refund the cost of the vehicle to the respondent as was rightly directed by the District Forum.

        (Para 13)

       (D) Consumer Protection Act, 1986, Sec. 13 — Provisions — O.P. admitted that defects in vehicle were removed — This showed that there were defects in vehicle — Therefore, provisions of Sec. 13, Act 1986 not applicable. (Para 14)

       (E) Words and Expression — Word ‘compensation’ has wide connotation — According to dictionary it means, ‘compensating or being compensated; thing given as recompense’ — In legal sense it may constitute actual loss or expected loss and may extend to physical, mental or even emotional suffering, insult or injury or loss. (Para 16)

       (F) Consumer Protection Act, 1986 — Provision — It enables a consumer to claim and empowers the Commission to redress any injustice done to him — The Commission or the Forum in the Act is thus entitled to award not only value of the goods or services but also to compensate a consumer for injustice suffered by him.

        (Para 16)

        ¼v½ miHkksDrk laj{k.k vf/kfu;e] 1986] /kkjk 13(1)(c) & izko/kku & okgu dks mfpr ySc esa fo’ys”k.k ds fy, Hkstuk & tc vihykfFkZ;ksa }kjk ;g LohÑr Fkk fd okgu esa [kjkch gS o okgu dk Fuel injection system [kjkc gks x;k gS & rc okgu dks fdlh ySc esa ijh{k.k ;k fo’ys”k.k ds fy, Hkstus dk iz’u ugha mBrk & okgu O.P. la- 3 ds ikl Fkk vkSj mls okgu dk fdlh Lora= eSdsfud }kjk ;k ySc esa ijh{k.k f’kdk;rdrkZ dh mifLFkfr esa djkuk pkfg, Fkk] okgu esa ijs’kkuh dk ;FkkFkZ dkj.k Kkr djus ds fy,] ijUrq ,slk ugha fd;k x;k Fkk & fojks/kh i{k dks /kkjk 13(1)(c), vf/kfu;e] 1986 ds izkoèkkuksa dk ykHkA ¼izLrj 9½

       ¼c½+ {ks=kf/kdkfjrk & O.P. la- 1@fuekZrk dañ ds ns’kHkj esa Mhyj gSa vkSj i{k la- 3 gY}kuh] uSuhrky esa LFkkfir gS & dksbZ fookn ugha fd f’kdk;rdrkZ viuk okgu O.P. la- 3 ds ikl ejEer ds fy, ys x;k Fkk tks vkt Hkh mlds ikl gS & izLrqr okn esa f’kdk;rdrkZ ds i{k esa okn gsrqd ftyk Qksje] uSuhrky dh {ks=kf/kdkfjrk esa Fkk & bl izdkj ftyk Qksje }kjk miHkksDrk f’kdk;r Lohdkj dj] xq.kk xq.k ij fuf’pr dj vkns’k ikfjr djus esa dksbZ =qfVdkfjr ughaA ¼izLrj 10½

       ¼l½ miHkksDrk laj{k.k vf/kfu;e] 1986 & izfrdj nkok & okgu esa fofuekZ.k nks”k & izLrqr okn esa okgu esa pick up dh ijs’kkuh okgu dh ejEer ds mijkUr Hkh fo|eku Fkh & bl izdkj] izLrqr okn esa rF;ksa ls fl) fd okgu esa vUrfuZfgr fofuekZ.k nks”k Fkk & fdlh Hkkx ds izfrLFkkiu dk Hkh iz’u ugha D;ksafd lrr ejEer ds ckn Hkh okgu nks”k eqDr ugha gqvk Fkk vkSj nks”k fo|eku Fkk & blfy, vihykfFkZ;ksa dk nkf;Ro fd os okgu dk ewY; izfroknh dks okil dj nsa tSlk ftyk Qksje }kjk mfpr ik;k x;k FkkA

        ¼izLrj 13½

       ¼n½ miHkksDrk laj{k.k vf/kfu;e] 1986] /kkjk 13 & izko/kku & fojks/kh i{k us Lohdkj fd;k fd okgu esa [kjkch dks nwj fd;k x;k Fkk & vr% Li”V fd okgu esa nks”k Fkk & blfy, /kkjk 13] vf/kfu;e 1986 ds izko/kku izk;ksT; ughaA ¼izLrj 14½

       ¼;½ ‘kCn vkSj vfHkO;fDr & ‘kCn ßizfrdjÞ dk foLr`r xq.kkFkZ gS & ‘kCnkoyh ds vuqlkj] bldk vFkZ gS {kfriwfrZ dk {kfriwfjr gksuk( izfrnku esa nh xbZ oLrq & fof/k esa bldk vFkZ gS lrr uqdlku ;k vuqekfur {kfr ftldk foLrkj fd;k tk ldrk gS HkkSfrd] ekufld ;k HkkoksÙkstd ihM+k] vieku ;k {kfr ;k uqdlku esaA ¼izLrj 16½

       ¼j½ miHkksDrk laj{k.k vf/kfu;e] 1986 & izko/kku & ;g miHkksDrk dks nkok djus ds fy, l{ke djrk gS o deh’ku dks l’kDr djrk gS fd og miHkksDrk ds lkFk gq, vU;k; dks izfrrks”k djs & vf/kfu;e ds vUrxZr deh’ku ;k Qksje gdnkj gS u flQZ lkeku ;k lsok dk ewY; vf/kfu.khZr djus ds fy, vfirq miHkksDrk ds lkFk gq, vU;k; dh {kfriwfr ds fy, HkhA ¼izLrj 16½