IN THE TAMIL NADU STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION, CHENNAI Present : Hon’ble Thiru. Justice R. SUBBIAH….. PRESIDENT F.A. No. 1075 of 2024 (against the order dated 19.07.2024 made in Consumer Complaint No. 9 of 2024 on the file of District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Tiruvannamalai)

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Order pronounced on : 31.10.2025

1. Hare Krishna Movement Rep. by its Manager A registered Charitable Trust bearing Reg.No.828 of 2008 At No.63, Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 600 041

2. Basics Foundation Rep. by its Manager Branch Office at No.63, Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar Tiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 600 041 And having its registered & Head Office at Survey No.55, 8t Mile Kanakapura Road, Doddakalla Sandra Post Vasantpuri Village Bangalore – 560 062 .. Appellants/Opposite Parties Versus

1. Mr. V. Padmanabhan

3AB, Manasarovar Apartments

5th Cross, Karpagam Gardens Adyar, Chennai – 600 020

2. Mrs. Shanthi Padmanabhan

3AB, Manasarovar Apartments

5th Cross, Karpagam Gardens Adyar, Chennai – 600 020 .. Respondents/Complainants For Appellants : M/s. Norton & Grant For Respondents : Ms. Uma This Appeal came up for final hearing on 09.10.2025 and upon hearing the arguments of the learned counsel for the Appellants and the learned counsel for the respondents and upon perusing the material records, this Commission made the following ORDER R. SUBBIAH, J - President The appellants are aggrieved by the order dated 19.07.2024 made in Consumer Complaint No. 9 of 2024 on the file of District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Tiruvannamalai.

2. For the sake of convenience, the parties shall be referred to as per their litigative status as ‘Complainants’ and ‘Opposite Parties’ in this appeal. 3. Originally, the respondents herein have filed Consumer Complaint No. 322 of 2022 on the file of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chennai (South). Subsequently, the said C.C. No. 322 of 2022 stood transferred and re-numbered as RBT/Consumer Complaint No. 9 of 2024 on the file of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Tiruvannamalai.

4. The Respondents/Complainants have filed the Consumer Complaint under Section 34 of The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 praying to (i) direct the opposite parties to refund the sum of Rs.5,21,668/- to the complainants with interest at 15% per annum (ii) directing the Opposite Parties to pay a sum of Rs.50,000/- to the complainants towards mental agony and hardship suffered by the complainants and (iii) directing the Opposite Parties to pay a sum of Rs.50,000/- to the complainants, towards cost of legal notice and the present proceedings.

5. As per the consumer complaint, during January 2020, the respondents/complainants approached the appellants/Opposite Parties for booking the marriage hall named as “Dwaraka Sea Palace” for their son’s wedding slated to take place during October 2020. On 26.10.2020, the first Opposite Party also confirmed the availability of the hall and directed the respondents/complainants to pay Rs.5 lakhs plus Goods and Service Tax (GST) towards the rental charges for the marriage hall from 4.00 am to 2.00 pm. It is stated that the first Opposite Party demanded the entire amount to be paid as a condition precedent for booking the marriage hall, in advance. Accordingly, the complainants paid Rs.5,21,668/- by way of two cheques dated 21.01.2020 and 01.02.2020 to the second Opposite Party, which represents Rs.3,21,668/- for the rent of marriage hall and Rs.2,72,600/- towards GST. On receipt of such payment, the first Opposite Party issued receipt No.42 dated 21.01.2020 indicating that they received Rs.2,00,000/- as donation. Subsequently, the second Opposite Party issued Receipt No. 472 dated 21.01.2020 for Rs.3,21,668/- towards hall rent, Miscellaneous charges, Amenities & equipment usage, Furnitures and Fixtures etc., The Opposite Parties also handed over a copy of the ‘terms and conditions’ wherein it was indicated that the sum of Rs.2 lakhs will be