India

NCDRC directs Maruti Suzuki to pay customer Rs 1L for misleading information

Rajiv Sharma, who purchased the car in 2004 based on promises of a fuel economy ranging from 16-18 km per litre.

New Delhi: The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has directed Maruti Suzuki India Ltd to pay Rs 1 lakh in compensation to a customer for providing misleading information about the fuel efficiency of his purchased car.

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The NCDRC, led by Dr Inder Jit Singh, declared the car manufacturer’s advertisement from October 20, 2004, as misleading, saying that issuance of such advertisement amounts to “unfair trade practice” on the part of the manufacturer and dealer.

Rajiv Sharma, who purchased the car in 2004 based on promises of a fuel economy ranging from 16-18 km per litre, filed a complaint when he discovered the actual mileage to be significantly lower at 10.2 kilometers per litre.

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Seeking redress, he initially approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, which partially granted his request, awarding him Rs 1 lakh in compensation.

Despite Maruti Suzuki’s appeal to the State Commission, the decision remained in Sharma’s favour. The case proceeded to the NCDRC, where Dr Singh upheld the previous rulings, concluding that the advertised mileage claims were misleading and violated consumer rights.

Moreover, DD Motors, the dealership involved, failed to appear in court, leading to the case proceeding against them ex parte. Now, Maruti Suzuki has been ordered to pay Rs 1 lakh to Sharma, as the commission reaffirmed the significance of transparent and accurate information in the automotive industry.

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This post was last modified on January 27, 2024 8:05 am

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Indo-Asian News Service

Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is a private Indian news agency. It was founded in 1986 by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the "India Abroad News Service" and later renamed. The service reports news, views and analysis from the subcontinent about the country, across a wide range of subjects.

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