Skip to main content

No Provision Of Compound Interest As Compensation Under Consumer Protection Act, 1986

Cause Title : M/s Suneja Towers Private Limited & Anr. vs Anita Merchant, Civil Appeal Nos. 2892-2894 Of 2023, Supreme Court Of India

Date of Judgment/Order : 18/4/23

Corum : Dinesh Maheshwari & Sanjay Kumar, JJ

Citied: 

  1. Dr. Manjeet Kaur Monga v. K.L. Suneja: (2018) 14 SCC 679
  2. Ghaziabad Development Authority v. Balbir Singh: (2004) 5 SCC 65
  3. Malay Kumar Ganguly v. Sukumar Mukherjee (Dr.): [2009] CPJ 17 (SC)
  4. Central Bank of India v. Ravindra: (2002) 1 SCC 367
  5. Clariant International Ltd. and Anr. v. Securities & Exchange Board of India: (2004) 8 SCC 524
  6. Experion Developers Pvt. Ltd. v. Sushma Ashok Shiroor: (2022) SCC OnLine SC 416; 
  7. NBCC (India) Ltd. v. Shri Ram Trivedi: (2021) 5 SCC 273; 
  8. Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd. v. Abhishek Khanna and Ors.: (2021) 3 SCC, 241
  9. DLF Home Developers Limited and Anr. v. Capital Greens Flat Buyers Association and Ors.: (2021) 5 SCC 537
  10. Arifur Rahman Khan and Ors v. DLF Southern Homes Pvt Ltd and Ors.: (2020) 16 SCC 512
  11. DLF Home Panchkula Pvt Ltd and Ors. v. DS Dhanda and Ors.: (2020) 16 SCC 318
  12. Manohar Lal (D) by Lrs. v. Ugrasen (D) by Lrs. and Ors.: (2010) 11 SCC 557
  13. K.L. Suneja and Anr. v. Dr. (Mrs.) Manjeet Kaur Monga (D) Through Her LRs and Anr: 2023 SCC OnLine SC 91
  14. Wallersteiner v. Moir (No. 2): (1975) Q.B. 373
  15. Indian Council for Enviro-Legal Action v. Union of India and Ors.: (2011) 8 SCC 161
  16. Transmission Corp. of AP Ltd. v. P. Surya Bhagavan: (2003) 6 SCC 353
  17. Balram Prasad v. Kunal Saha: (2014) 1 SCC 384

Background

Three flats were booked by the Respondent herein and had made 60% of the total consideration but the Appellant had failed to deliver the flats. One filling complaint before the consumer forum, the district court dismissed the same  on various grounds including that she had tried to avail of the services of the builder for commercial purposes by booking three flats and thus, did not fall within the category of “consumer”, as defined under Section 2(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. 

The State Forum however rejected the conclusion drawn by the District Forum and granted relief to the complainant in the manner that the appellants shall refund the amount deposited by her together with ‘compound interest at the rate of 14% from the date of deposit. The State Commission, thereafter, examined various connotations of the term “compensation” and referring to Ghaziabad Development Authority (supra) observed that the Commission or the Forum was entitled to award not only value of goods or services but also to compensate a consumer for injustice suffered by him. According to the State Forum in cases where possession was directed to be delivered to the complainant, the compensation for harassment would necessarily have to be less because that party was being compensated by increase in the value of the property but, in cases where only money was to be refunded, the party would be suffering a loss inasmuch as he had deposited the money in the hope of getting a flat/plot and he was deprived of the same, as also the benefit of price escalation. The State Commission also observed that in such case (only of refund of money), the complainant would suffer substantial loss on account of payment of interest on the loans raised; depreciation in the money value; and escalation in the cost of construction etc. The State Commission also observed that in these proceedings, necessary orders regarding refund of the deposited amount could be passed, notwithstanding the proceedings in any other forum.

On appeal filed by the builder, the National Forum rejected all the contentions urged on behalf of the appellant against the order so passed by the State Commission and also found no reason to interfere with the relief granted by the State Commission in view of the decision of this Court in the case of Dr. Manjeet Kaur Monga (supra). Hence this appeal.

Judgment

On the question as to whether the Consumer Fora had been justified in awarding and approving compound interest at the rate of 14%, the Supreme Court observed that in the complaint case as originally filed, the respondent did not make any prayer for award of compound interest; rather her prayer had essentially been for directions to the appellants to deliver the flats and to award damages. If at all, the respondent claimed simple interest @ 18% p.a. The main plank, rather substratum, of the decision of State Commission in awarding compound interest had been the view taken and relief granted against the appellants in relation to the very same project and in relation to a similar grievance of the said other prospective buyer, Dr. Monga, who was also deprived of the fruits of her deposits. A look at the decisions aforesaid makes it clear that though in most of the cases, the questions were relating to the compensation for delayed delivery of possession but even in the cases where possession was not being delivered by the builder or not being taken by the purchaser for a valid reason, the award of compensation was restricted to the refund with simple interest in the range 6% to 9% p.a.

Disapproving the proposition of awarding compound interest in the cases of monetary refund, the SC held that the forum would be entitled to provide for the amount of compensation as deemed fit, having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and the gravity of the negligence of the opposite party and consequential injury suffered by the consumer. A shortcut of awarding compound interest is neither envisaged by the statute nor do we find any such term of contract between the parties or any such usage and if the award as made is approved, it could only lead to unjust enrichment of the respondent in the name of disgorgement of benefits purportedly derived by the appellants.

Comments

Most viewed this month

Partition proceedings are vitiated even if single co-sharer is not made party or is not served in accordance with law

Cause Title :  Bhagwant Singh vs  Financial Commissioner (Appeals) Punjab, Chandigarh,  CWP-2132-2018 (O&M), High Court Of Punjab & Haryana At Chandigarh Date of Judgment/Order : 31.08.2022 Corum : Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sudhir Mittal Background A large parcel of land was owned by the Nagar Panchayat. Thereafter, some of the co-sharers sold their shares to third parties including the petitioners herein. On 22.11.1995, respondents No.3 to 5 filed an application for partition of the land. The petitioners were not impleaded as parties.  On completion of proceedings, sanad was issued on 28.08.1996. Vide two separate sale deeds dated 28.05.2008 respondents No.3 and 5 sold some portion in favour of respondent No.6 and 7. These respondents sought implementation of the sanad resulting in issuance of warrants of possession dated 05.06.2008. Allegedly, it was then that the petitioners realized that joint land had been partitioned and that proceedings h...

Power of Attorney holder can also file cheque bounce cases: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has held that a criminal complaint in a cheque bounce case can be filed and pursued by a person who holds a power of attorney (PoA) on behalf of the complainant. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam gave the "authoritative" pronouncement on the issue, referred to it by a division bench in view of conflicting judgements of some high courts and the apex court. "We are of the view that the power of attorney holder may be allowed to file, appear and depose for the purpose of issue of process for the offence punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (which deals with cheque bounce cases)," the bench, also comprising justices Ranjana Prakash Desai and Ranjan Gogoi, said. The bench, in its judgement, said, "...we clarify the position and answer the questions in the following manner: "Filing of complaint petition under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act through PoA holder is perfectly legal...

Christian who reconverts as Hindu SC will get quota benefits

Amid the controversy over “ghar wapsi”, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a person who “reconverts” from Christianity to Hinduism shall be entitled to reservation benefits if his forefathers belonged to a Scheduled Caste and the community accepts him after “reconversion”. Citing articles by B R Ambedkar and James Massey, and reports by Mandal Commission and Chinappa Commission, the court said: “There has been detailed study to indicate the Scheduled Caste persons belonging to Hindu religion, who had embraced Christianity with some kind of hope or aspiration, have remained socially, educationally and economically backward.” The bench of Justices Dipak Misra and V Gopala Gowda held that a person shall not be deprived of reservation benefits if he decides to “reconvert” to Hinduism and adopts the caste that his forefathers originally belonged to just because he was born to Christian parents or has a Christian spouse. Expanding the scope of a previous Constitution benc...