Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been slapped with a fine of Rs. 10 lakh by a consumer forum in New Delhi for selling soft drinks above the maximum retail price (MRP) to 2 customers.
The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum imposed "punitive compensation" of Rs. 5 lakh each in 2 separate cases against IRCTC, a subsidiary of Indian Railways, and said being a government corporation, "it is not expected to be deficient in such matters and can not come down to level of private dealers".
"We have considered the case in the perspective of unfair and restrictive trade practices, by a government firm who supply food articles to millions of rail users, who in transit can not protest or / have little choice but to avail services at whatever cost.
"The IRCTC being a government corporation is not expected to be deficient in such matters and cannot come down to level of private dealers," a bench presided by Mr. C K Chaturvedi said.
The forum directed IRCTC to deposit a fine of Rs.10 lakh with the Delhi State Legal Services Authority & also awarded compensation of Rs. 10,000 each to the 2 passengers, Delhi residents Mr. Sachin Dhiman and Ms. Sharnya.
"Keeping in view, the gravity & scale of gain by overcharging in 24 x 7 Railway operations all over India, we award punitive compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to be deposited by IRCTC with Delhi State Legal Services Authority and we award compensation of Rs. 10,000 (each) to complainant(s)," it said.
The 2 complainants had alleged that a retail outlet of IRCTC had sold each of them a bottle of Maaza having MRP of Rs.12 for Rs.15.
IRCTC, which handles the catering, tourism and online ticketing operations of the railways, was proceeded against ex-parte as no one appeared on its behalf.
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