NCDRC | Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for hierarchy of Consumer Fora to deal with consumer complaints, depending upon pecuniary value of complaint; Complaint filed to demand disproportionate compensation only to inflate value of complaint — Dismissed

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): C. Viswanath (Presiding Member) while addressing the complaint reiterated the settled position of law, expressed that,

Section 58 of the Act provides that the National Commission shall have jurisdiction to entertain the Complaint where value of the goods or services paid as consideration exceeds rupees ten crores.

Complainant submitted that he was given a cash credit limit of Rs 25 lakhs by the State Bank of India.

It was submitted that OP/SBI had committed deficiency of service as an interest of Rs 18,66,719 had been demanded from the complainant against the outstanding loan of Rs 23 lakhs.

What was the prayer made by the complainant?

1. Pass an award directing the Opposite Party to pay a sum of Rs 19,85,27,562 to the Complainant towards compensation and damages for negligence, deficiency in service and unfair trade practices;
2. Pass an award directing the Opposite Party to pay a sum of Rs 5,00,000 to the Complainant for pain and mental agony;
3. Pass an award directing the Opposite Party to pay a sum of Rs 4,00,00,000 to the Complainant for loss of closing of the industry of the complainant;
4. Pass an award directing the opposite party to pay a sum of Rs 4,00,00,000 to the Complainant for the loss of reputation;
5. And directing the Opposite Party to pay the cost of entire proceedings; rectification and
6. Pass such further or other orders as this National Commission may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case and thus render justice.

Decision

Bench remarked that Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for a hierarchy of the Consumer Fora to deal with consumer complaints, depending upon the pecuniary value of the complaint.

In the instant case, the complainant had demanded disproportionate compensation to inflate the value of the complaint and reach the pecuniary jurisdiction of this Commission which is nothing but an abuse of the process of law.

Hence, the complaint was dismissed in view of the above discussion, since it did not fall within the pecuniary jurisdiction of the National Commission.[M.V. Madhu Sudhana v. SBI, 2020 SCC OnLine NCDRC 845, decided on 06-04-2021]