BENGALURU: A convention hall in the city had to pay compensation to a resident for failing to refund the advance amount paid by the latter for booking a hall for marriage, which was not performed due to restrictions imposed on account of the Covid-19.
The Bangalore Urban II Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed VV Convention Hall at Nanjappa Garden on Banaswadi Ring Road to pay a compensation of Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 as litigation charges to complainant A Guna Shekar, a resident of Udayanagar.
The Commission comprising president KS Bilagi and member V Anuradha also directed the Convention Hall to refund Rs 47,500 to the complainant, after deducting Rs 2,500, which is 5 per cent of Rs 50,000-- an advance paid by Shekar.
According to the complaint filed under Section 35 of the Consumer Protection Act, Shekar booked the wedding hall for marriage that was to be held on April 26 and 27, 2020, and paid an advance of Rs 50,000 on February 6, 2020.
However, due to the pandemic, the marriage was held at a nearby temple. Despite the State Government’s order and declaration by the Government of India, the convention hall failed to refund the advance amount.
Arguing on his own, Shekar produced a copy of the order from the deputy commissioner dated June 10, 2020, which states that the owner of Kalyana Mantapa shall refund the payment after deducting 5 per cent as tax.
However, the owner of the convention hall did not refund but replied to the legal notice stating that the advance has been forfeited.