Order Name: Dr. Colonel Ajay Bahadur vs Hotel Le Meridian, Jaipur
The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission-1, Lucknow has ordered Hotel Le Meridian in Jaipur to reimburse Dr. Colonel Ajay Bahadur, the complainant, with a sum of Rs. 25,00,000/- along with a 9% annual interest from the time of his payment till the judgment date. This payment should be made within a span of 45 days following the judgment date.
This case involves Dr. Colonel Ajay Bahadur, a respected former army officer, who arranged for his daughter’s wedding to take place at Hotel Le Meridian, Jaipur. The booking for this event amounted to Rs. 67,90,900/-, of which Rs. 30,00,000/- was paid in advance by the complainant.
However, due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances, including the Covid-19 pandemic and a personal loss in the family, Dr. Bahadur was forced to call off the wedding. The hotel had initially assured him that a full refund would be granted if the cancellation and refund request were made at least 90 days prior to the wedding date. Dr. Bahadur claims he notified the hotel five months before the event, yet the hotel declined to give back the money and instead kept the deposit.
Upset by this, Dr. Bahadur lodged a consumer complaint in Lucknow. Hotel Le Meridian defended its action by stating that their terms and conditions allowed them to keep the deposit, arguing that the wedding wasn’t cancelled due to Covid-19, and since no hotel services were used, the complaint was invalid.
The District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission-1, Lucknow took a different view, noting that Dr. Bahadur had deposited Rs. 14 lakhs through an agent and the remaining Rs. 16 lakhs personally from his Lucknow residence, thereby qualifying him as a consumer of Le Meridian. The Commission also noted that according to Hindu customs, no wedding is allowed for a year following a family death.
Taking all these factors into account, the Commission ordered Hotel Le Meridian, Jaipur to pay Dr. Bahadur Rs. 25,00,000/- plus 9% annual interest from the date of his payment to the judgment date, within 45 days of the judgment.
The complainant was represented by Akhand Vikram Singh, while Akhilesh Kumar spoke on behalf of the respondent.
The takeaway from this judgment is that consumer rights are protected, and businesses must adhere to the promises they make, especially when it comes to refunds. It also underlines the importance of understanding the terms and conditions before entering into any agreement.
