Hyderabad: The Rangareddy district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed a convention centre to refund Rs 90,000 to a complainant whose daughter’s wedding plans were derailed by Covid-19 restrictions in 2021.
In a ruling that could set a precedent for similar cases, the commission ordered Devaki Convention to return the bulk of the advance payment made by a complainant, who had initially deposited Rs 1 lakh for a wedding scheduled for May 22, 2021.
According to case documents, the complainant had booked the venue for 1,000 guests at a total cost of Rs 4.5 lakh, paying two installments of ₹50,000 each in Nov 2020 and Jan 2021. However, the second wave of the pandemic and subsequent govt restrictions made it impossible to proceed with the planned celebration.
“When I approached the management for a refund, they initially agreed but later backtracked,” stated the complainant before the court. The venue then proposed rescheduling the event to Aug 12, 2021, but allegedly double-booked the date without informing the complainant.
The convention centre’s management argued that the advance payment was non-refundable as per the booking terms and claimed they had incurred expenses for arrangements. However, they failed to produce evidence supporting these expenditures.
The commission noted in the order that “retaining the complainant’s money without providing any services amounts to unfair trade practice.” While acknowledging the non-refundable clause in the contract, the commission ruled that the venue could not justify keeping the entire amount without proof of actual expenses.
The order mandated Devaki Convention to refund Rs 90,000 (after a 10% deduction for incidental charges) with 9% annual interest from Sept 30, 2022. The venue must also pay Rs 5,000 in litigation costs.
