WHAT
IS THE REAL PRICE? (5)
GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL
Though legal remedies are available for aggrieved consumers, unfortunately, there is no regulation to curb the menace of sneaky fees. “At present, service providers are required to mention the service tax along with the service charge on the bill. This is meant to prevent service providers from charging other sneakier fees,” says consumer activist Sri Ram Khanna. However, this is a very small step towards mandatory transparency in pricing and there are no proposals in the pipeline to give us hope.
What is the grievance mechanism in place? “Customers can approach a consumer court for redressal of grievances,” says Dutta. However, the process is timeconsuming. “The compensation may be minimal against the time and effort you put in,” says Joshi.
Thankfully, you no longer need a lawyer to file a case in a consumer court. In C Venkatachalam vs Ajitkumar C Shah, the Bombay High Court ruled that non-advocates could appear before consumer courts. The Supreme Court upheld this judgement on an appeal filed by the Bar Council in 2011. One of the reasons for this ruling was to make it more economically viable for people to approach consumer courts by shaving off lawyer’s fees.
Also, note that in any complaint or petition submitted under the Consumer Protection Act, a consumer is not required to pay any court fees. Just a nominal fee is payable for registering a case.
Ultimately, the onus is on the consumers themselves. You need to demand full information on pricing by asking pointed questions before booking or making a purchase. Take the time to carefully go through the terms and conditions document, no matter how bulky it is. As Sampat points out, “Some clauses may get inserted clandestinely in the agreement.” Ask for a written confirmation of the final rate quoted so that you have proof should you be compelled to fight a legal battle.
SUSHMITA
CHOUDHURY AGARWAL
With Sakina
Babwani and Amit Shanbaug ETW130916
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