Consumer Protection Act, 1986

The appellants, a group of builders, entered into a sale agreement to construct a villa for the respondent, a home‑buyer, but failed to deliver possession and subsequently terminated the agreement. The buyer filed a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 before the District Consumer Forum, while the builders…

M/S Prem Cottex, a cotton yarn manufacturer, was issued a short assessment notice by Uttarakhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd. alleging that the multiply factor (MF) used in its electricity bills was incorrectly applied, resulting in short billing of about Rs.1.35 crore. The appellant filed a consumer complaint under the Con…

The appellant, Prakash Bang, claimed that after receiving the hepatitis B vaccine Engerix‑B, he suffered myositis and permanent shoulder disability, seeking compensation from the manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission dismissed his claim…

The appellant's son suffered convulsions and was treated by respondent No.1, an Ayurvedic practitioner, who advertised a total cure and allegedly prescribed allopathic medicines while claiming they were Ayurvedic. The treatment, conducted between 1994 and 1997, worsened the child's condition, leading the appellant to f…

The appeal concerned the interpretation of Section 13(2)(a) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 regarding the time allotted to the opposite party to file its version after a complaint is admitted. The petitioner argued that the 30‑day period could be extended beyond the statutory ceiling of 15 days, relying on the lat…

The appellant insured a truck with Reliance General Insurance, which was stolen on 23 March 2010. While assisting police in the search, the appellant delayed filing the insurance claim until 31 March 2010, citing an eight‑day gap due to police involvement. The insurer rejected the claim on the basis of a policy conditi…

The complainant insured a Mahindra Pick‑up vehicle whose temporary registration expired on 11‑January‑2006, yet the vehicle was involved in an accident on 2‑February‑2006 while being driven without any valid registration. The insurer denied the claim, leading to proceedings before the District Consumer Forum, State Com…

Smt. Khazani obtained a loan from Gurgaon Gramin Bank to purchase a buffalo and insured the animal for Rs.15,000 with New India Assurance. After the buffalo died, the bank failed to process her insurance claim, prompting her to file a complaint before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which ordered the in…

The appellant, Om Prakash Ahuja, purchased a family health insurance policy in 2007 and renewed it for 2008‑2009. His wife was treated for ovarian cancer, and he claimed reimbursement, which the insurer rejected on the ground that the wife’s pre‑existing rheumatic heart disease had not been disclosed. The District Foru…

The husband of a patient filed a consumer complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 alleging medical negligence by Dr. P.B. Lall, which was partly upheld by the District Forum awarding compensation. The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission set aside the award, and the matter proceeded to the National Co…

The Supreme Court examined whether the Copyright Board, under Section 31(1)(b) of the Copyright Act, 1957, could grant an interim compulsory licence while a complaint was pending. The Board had earlier held it lacked such power, but the Delhi High Court reversed that view and directed the Board to grant an interim lice…

The appellant, a home buyer, applied for a home loan from HDFC (respondent No.1) after being assured via email that the interest rate would be linked to the RBI's Prime Lending Rate. The loan agreement, signed on 11 January 2006, included an adjustable rate clause that allowed HDFC to vary its retail prime lending rate…

The Supreme Court examined whether a District Forum under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 could extend the time for filing a response to a complaint beyond the 30 days plus a statutorily permitted 15‑day extension under s.13(2)(a), and where the 30‑day period begins. The Court held that s.13(2)(a) uses mandatory lang…

The appellants purchased a residential flat in 2005 and, after delayed possession and alleged changes to the layout, filed a consumer complaint in 2017 alleging deficiency of service and unfair trade practice. The respondents contended that the flat was bought for commercial purposes because it was later leased to a th…

Madhav Hari Joshi paid Rs 1,75,000 as premium for LIC's Jeevan Aastha Plan but the insurer neither issued the policy nor refunded the amount for nearly five years. Joshi filed a consumer complaint seeking a refund with interest and compensation of Rs 5,00,000. The District Forum ordered a refund and Rs 4,25,000 compens…

The appellant, a real‑estate developer, was penalised by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) with 27 penalties under Section 27 of the Consumer Protection Act for failing to deliver possession of residential units. While insolvency proceedings were initiated against the appellant under Section 9…

The appellant's husband, an account holder of Saurashtra Gramin Bank, applied for a group accident insurance policy by submitting a form to the bank, which was to deduct a Rs 100 premium and forward it to the insurer. He died in an accident shortly after, and the insurer denied the claim, stating the premium had not be…

The Supreme Court examined two civil appeals challenging the decisions of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Commission and District Forum, which had held the insurer liable to pay the sum assured after the assured's suicide. The central issue was the date from which an insurance policy becomes …

The appellant, Imperia Structures Ltd., launched a housing scheme in 2011 and entered builder‑buyer agreements with the respondents in 2013. After the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) came into force, the respondents filed consumer complaints alleging delay and deficiency, seeking refunds with …

The appellant United India Insurance issued a Standard Fire & Special Perils (SFSP) policy to Levi Strauss (India) for fire loss, while Levi also held a global Open Marine Insurance (STP) policy issued by Allianz covering the same goods. After a fire, Levi claimed under the SFSP policy, but the insurer denied liability…

Narsingh Ispat Ltd. had a Standard Fire and Special Perils policy with Oriental Insurance. After a violent intrusion on 23 March 2010 caused extensive damage to its factory, the insurer denied the claim invoking an exclusion clause that barred loss caused by "acts of terrorism". The Consumer Commission upheld the denia…

Pioneer Urban Land & Infrastructure Ltd. (the builder) launched the Araya Complex project and entered into an Apartment Buyer’s Agreement with Govindan Raghavan (the flat purchaser) to sell an apartment for Rs.4.83 crore, obligating the builder to obtain an occupancy certificate within 39 months of excavation plus a 18…

The father of the respondent purchased 88 Indira Vikas Patras (IVPs) of Rs.5,000 each between 1996 and 1998, which were lost in June 2001. The respondent claimed the maturity value of the lost IVPs, alleging deficiency in service by the Post Office under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The District Consumer Forum an…

The respondents booked an apartment with Godrej Projects and paid a 20% earnest money deposit as per the Apartment Buyer Agreement. After the developer offered possession in June 2017, the respondents cancelled the purchase citing a market recession and demanded a full refund of Rs.51,12,310 with interest. The NCDRC or…

M/S. Magma FinCorp Ltd., the financier, entered into a hire‑purchase agreement with Rajesh Kumar Tiwari for a vehicle. Tiwari paid seven instalments before the financier repossessed the vehicle without a notice addressed to his correct address and later sold it. Tiwari filed a consumer complaint alleging unfair trade p…

Dr. S.K. Jhunjhunwala performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on Mrs. Dhanwanti Kaur, but intra‑operatively discovered inflammation and converted to an open gall‑bladder removal. The patient alleged she had only consented to laparoscopy, claimed negligence and post‑operative ailments, and was awarded Rs 2 lakhs by the…

The appellant's premature baby, Sharanya, was not screened for Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) despite being a high‑risk infant, leading to permanent blindness. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) found the State of Tamil Nadu, its government hospital and two doctors negligent and awarded Rs 5 …

The Supreme Court examined whether industrial/commercial electricity users could file complaints before a Consumer Forum against assessment orders under Section 126 of the Electricity Act, 2003 or actions under Sections 135‑140 of the same Act. The petitioners (U.P. Power Corporation Ltd. and others) argued that such p…

Dr. D.J. De Souza purchased a TurboChem 100 analyzer from CPC Diagnostics, paying 50% of the price. The contract required the buyer to provide an efficiently air‑conditioned room, a 1 KVA online UPS, and broadband for remote diagnostics before installation. The service engineer rejected the buyer’s existing UPS and ins…