Key Takeaways
- A Jalna consumer court ordered an electric scooter manufacturer to deliver a vehicle and pay Rs 20,000 compensation for undue delays.
- The buyer, Manoj Gilda, experienced nearly three years of waiting after booking the scooter.
- The manufacturer failed to respond in a timely manner to the court, facing additional penalties for non-compliance.
Details of the Case
A consumer court in Jalna has mandated a local electric scooter manufacturer to deliver a scooter booked over three years ago and to compensate the buyer with Rs 20,000 for mental distress and legal costs. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the manufacturer to deliver the vehicle to 55-year-old buyer Manoj Gilda, which includes Rs 10,000 for mental anguish and another Rs 10,000 for litigation expenses.
Gilda booked the scooter and paid the necessary advance, receiving confirmation from the company on April 14, 2022, that delivery would occur between June 9 and June 23, 2022. He later requested an upgrade to a newer model via email on June 18, 2022. Despite numerous follow-ups, the scooter was never delivered. Frustrated by the delay, Gilda approached the Central Consumer Protection Authority in April 2023, resulting in an apology email from the company that promised an expedient delivery. Nonetheless, this promise went unfulfilled.
After waiting nearly three years, Gilda formally lodged a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on March 27, 2025, through his attorney, M. S. Dhannawat. During the hearing, he asserted the manufacturer’s failure to fulfill its obligation illustrated negligence and an intent to mislead customers, leaving him in “a state of complete uncertainty” causing significant stress.
The manufacturer appeared but did not file its response within the designated timeframe mandated by the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The commission noted that the manufacturer’s response was submitted late and continued the proceedings without considering this late submission.
In an order issued on July 2, the panel, comprised of president Aparna Kate and members Uday Dalvi and Santosh Nikule, mandated compliance within 45 days. The court specified that if the manufacturer failed to adhere to this timeline, an additional penalty of Rs 25,000 would be imposed.
This ruling underscores the enforcement of consumer rights and the importance of timely responses and deliveries by manufacturers in the electric vehicle sector.
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