State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
Manager Burger King India Ltd. vs Yash Agarwal on 28 January, 2022
1 jktLFkkujkT; miHkksDrkfooknizfrrks"kvk;ksx] t;iqj izFkevihy la[;k% 377@2021 Manager, Burger King Ltd.
(Formely known as Burger King India Pvt. Ltd.) 1A Ground Floor, A-B1. City Square Mall. Showroom, Rajiv Circle, Panchsheel, Ajmer 3050004.
Correct Address: Burger King India Limited, Unit No. 1003 to 1002, 10th Floor, Mittal Commercia, Hasan Pada Road, Chimatpada, Near Marol Naka, Andheri East, Mumbai- 400059.
----vihykFkhZ@foi{kh cuke~ YashAgarwal , R/o 3/302, Saket Nagar, Housing Board, Beawar, District Ajmer- 305901.
----izR;FkhZ@ifjoknh le{k %& ekuuh; U;k;kf/kifrJhcuokjhyky 'kekZ] v/;{k ekuuh; Jherh 'kksHkk flag] lnL;
mifLFkr%& vihykFkhZ ds vf/koDrk Jh lUnhi ikBd ¼tfj;s ohMh;ks dkaQzsfUlax ½ izR;FkhZ ckotwn rkehy dksbZ mifLFkr ugha fu.kZ; fnukad% 28@01@2022 jkT; vk;ksx]jktLFkku]t;iqj] ¼}kjk% Jh cuokjh yky 'kekZ] v/;{k½ vihykFkhZ@foi{kh us ;g vihy vkyksP; fu.kZ; fnukad 18-03-2021 ds fo:) izLrqr dh gS tks fd fo)ku v/khuLFk ftyk 2 vk;ksx] vtesj us ifjokn la[;k 275@2020 ¼ ;'k vxzoky cuke~ eSustj] cxZj fdax bf.M;k izk0fy0 ½ esa ikfjr dj izR;FkhZ@ifjoknh }kjk izLrqr ifjokn Lohdkj dj fuEu vkns'k ikfjr fd;k%& ^^ ¼1½ ifjoknh] vizkFkhZ ls ekufld {kfriwfrZ isVs o okn O;; isVs ,d eq'r jkf'k :- 1000@& izkIr djus dk vf/kdkjh gksxk A ¼2½ dz-la- 1 esa of.kZr jkf'k vizkFkhZ] ifjoknh dks bl fu.kZ; dh fnukad ls nks ekg ds vUnj vnk djsa vFkok mDr jkf'k dk fMek.M Mªk¶V ls ifjoknh ds irs ij jftLVMZ Mkd ls fHktokosa A ¼3½ lkFk gh vizkFkhZ :- 1000@& jkT; miHkksDrk dY;k.k dks"k] t;iqj dks Hkh vnk djsa vkSj bl jkf'k dk fMek.M Mªk¶V tks jkT; miHkksDrk dY;k.k dks"k] t;iqj ds uke ns; gks] bl fu.kZ; dh fnukad ls nks ekg ds vUnj bl ftyk vk;ksx esa tek djkosAa ^^ bl vihy ls lEcfU/kr laf{kIr rF; bl izdkj gS fd ifjoknh us vizkFkhZ ds ;gka ls fnukad 05-09-2020 dks vkbZldzhe o cxZj dz; fd,] ftlds isVs ifjoknh dks vizkFkhZ }kjk- 225@& dk fcy l[a;k 263440010057664 fn;k x;k] ftldk ifjoknh us uxn Hkqxrku dj fn;kA fcy ns[kus ij ifjoknh us ik;k fd vkbZldzhe o cxZj dk ewY; 214@&] bl ij 5 izfr'kr jkf'k th,lVh ds :- 10-70 iS o jkm.M vkWQ ds 0-30 iS- vafdr fd, x, gS vkSj bl izdkj dqy jkf'k :- 225 @& dk fcy fn;k x;kA bl izdkj vizkFkhZ us yhxy 3 esVªky s ksth :Yl]2011 ds vuqlkj& "Maximum or Max. retail price ......... Inclusive of all taxes or in the form MRP Rs............. Incl., of all taxes after taking into account the fraction of less than fifty paisa to be rounded off to the preceding rupee and fraction of above 50 paise and up to 95 paise to the rounded off to fifty paise; dk mYy?aku djrs gq, mlls 0-50 iS- vf/kd olwy dj fy,A ifjoknh us bldh f'kdk;r dSf'k;j ls dh vkSj fuonsu fd;k fd fu;eks ads foijhr tkdj jkm.M vkQ fd;k tk jgk gS fdUrq mldh ckr ij dksbZ /;ku ugha fn;k rFkk crk;k fd os dEiuh ds lkWQ~Vos;j ij dke djrs gSA ifjoknh dk dFku gS fd vizkFkhZ dk mDr d`R; losk es adeh o vuqfpr O;kikj O;ogkj dh Js.kh esa vkrk gSA ifjoknh us ifjokn is'k dj mles aof.kZr vuqrks"k fnyk, tkus dh izkFkZuk dh gSA ifjokn ds leFkZu es a Lo;a dk 'kiFk i= is'k fd;k gSA vizkFkhZ ckotwn uksfVl rkehy dksbZ mifLFkr ugha vk;k uk gh ifjokn dk dksbZ tokc is'k fd;k] ftl ij ftyk vk;ksx us fnukad 09-02-2021 dks vizkFkhZ ds fo:) ,d i{kh; dk;Zokgh vey es aykbZ xbZA rRi'pk~ ,d i{kh; cgl lqudj mDr izdkj ls ifjoknh dk ifjokn Lohdkj fd;k x;k] ftlls O;fFkr gksdj vihykFkhZ@foi{kh us ;g vihy is'k dh gSA 4 vihykFkhZ ds fo)ku vf/koDrk Jh lanhi ikBd us tfj;s ohMh;ks dkaQzsflax mifLFkr gksdj fuosnu fd;k fd 50 iSls ;k mlls vf/kd jkf'k ij jkm.M vkWQ djus ij 01@&:i;k vkSj 50 iSls ls de gksus ij iSls dh jkf'k NksM+us dk izko/kku gS tSlkfd Hkkjrh; fjtoZ cSad ds ldqZyj esa fn;k gSA mUgksaus fuosnu fd;k fd ekuuh; jk"Vªh; vk;ksx] ubZ fnYyh us Hkh Revision Petition No. 1246/2016 (M/S MCDONALD FAMILY RESTAURANT VS NISHA GOYAL ) ds ekeys esa fnukad 26 tqykbZ 2021 dks mlds lkFk layXu vU; fuxjkuh ;kfpdkvksa dks Lohdkj djrs gq, vkns'k ikfjr fd;k gSA mUgksaus fuosnu fd;k fd bu U;kf;d n`"Vkarksa ds Åij fopkj fd;s fcuk gh fo)ku v/khuLFk ftyk vk;ksx us ifjokn Lohdkj djus esa =qfV dh gS vr% vihy Lohdkj dh tkosA lquk x;kA izR;FkhZ dks vihy ds uksfVl tkjh fd;s x;sA ckotwn rkehy dksbZ mifLFkr ugha vk;sA ,slh ifjfLFkfr esa vihykFkhZ vf/koDrk Jh lUnhi ikBd dks gh lquk tk ldkA eq[; fookn ;gh gS fd tgak izR;FkhZ@ifjoknh dk fcy 224@&:i;s 50 iSls dk gh cuk gS] ogak ij vihykFkhZ@foi{kh 225@&:i;s ykSVkus ds gdnkj gS ;k ughaA bl lEcU/k esa ekuuh; jk"Vªh; vk;ksx] ubZ fnYyh us M/S MCDONALD FAMILY RESTAURANT VS NISHA GOYAL ¼mijksDr½ ds lkFk vU; 5 fuxjkuh ;kfpdkvksa esa ftuesa ;gh fookn Fkk] esa fu/kkZfjr fd;k gS fd%&
8. We find that it is the practice in the Commercial World, as also in Hospitality Services including Hotel Restaurants that a fraction of a Rupee if it is 50 paisa or above, is rounded off to the nearest Rupee and if it is less than 50 paisa it is ignored, meaning thereby that the person is not liable to pay that amount.
9. In this connection, we may refer to the Circular dated 09.04.2007 issued by the Reserve Bank of India with respect to rounding off the transactions to the nearest Rupee. Relevant portion of the said Circular is reproduced below:-
"Please refer to our circular RPCD.No.RF.BC.68/D.1-90-91 dated January 1, 1991, in terms of which bank were advised that all transactions, including payment of interest on deposits/charging of interest on advances, should be rounded off to the nearest rupee; i.e., fraction of 50 paise and above all shall be rounded off to the next higher rupee and fraction of less than 50 paise shall be ignored. Banks were however, advised that cheques issued by clients containing fractions of rupee should not be rejected or dishonoured."
10. Prior to that the Reserve Bank of India had issued a Master Circular on Interest Rates on Rupee Deposits held in Domestic, Ordinary Non-Resident (NRO) and Non-Resident (External) (NRE) Accounts.Clause 19 of the aforesaid Master Circular dealt with Rounding off of transactions is reproduced below:-
"All transactions, including payment of interest on deposits/charging of interest on advances, should be rounded off to the nearest rupee; i.e., fractions of 50 paise and above shall be rounded off to the next higher rupee and fraction of less than 50 paise shall be ignored. Issue prices of cash certificates should also be rounded off in the same manner.6
Cheques issued by clients containing fractions of a rupee should not be rejected or dishonoured"
11. Another Circular was issued by the Reserve Bank of India on 30.03.2007 which provided for rounding off cheques to the nearest Rupee.For ready reference, relevant part of the said Circular is reproduced below:-
"Please refer to paragraph 19 of our Master Circular DBOD Dir.BC.6/13.03.00/2006-07 dated July 1,2006 on Interest Rates on Deposits', in terms of which banks were advised that all transactions, including payment of interest on deposits/charging of interest an advances, should be rounded off to the nearest rupee; i.e., fractions of 50 paise and above shall be rounded off to the next higher rupee and fraction of less than 50 paise shall be ignored. It was also advised that issue prices of cash certificates should also be rounded off in the same manner. Banks were however, advised that cheques issued by clients containing fractions of a rupee should not be rejected or dishonoured."
12. In the Customer Service Guidelines During the year 2006- 2007, issued by the Customer Service Department, Reserve Bank of India, Clause A.5 mentioning rounding off cheques to the nearest Rupee, is reproduced below:-
"As per extant instructions (contained in Master circular DBOD Dir.BC.6/13.03.00/2006-07 dated July 1, 2006 on Interest Rates on Deposits'), banks are required that all transactions, including payment of interest on deposits/charging of interest on advances, should be rounded off to the nearest rupee; i.e., fractions of 50 paise and above shall be rounded off to the next higher rupee and fraction of less than 50 paise shall be ignored. It was also advised that issue prices of cash certificates should also be rounded off in the same manner. Banks were however, required that cheques issued by clients containing fractions of a rupee should not be rejected or dishonoured."7
13. Not only this, 'Handbook of Market Practices issued by Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India' for rounding off transaction is followed and applied.Clause 4.11, which provides for rounding off is reproduced below:-
"All interest receivable/payable should be rounded off ot the higher rupee if the paise component is equal to or higher than 50 paise and should be ignored if the paise component is less than 50 paise.
The rounding off of paise should also be done in respect of broken period interest receivable payable."
14. Thus, the Reserve Bank of India, which is regulating the Banks and the Market Leaders, i.e., Derivatives Association of India, in Commercial Activities the aforesaid practice for rounding off to the nearest Rupee is uniformly applied. We cannot lose sight of the aforesaid practice adopted in the Commercial Activities, whether it is Banking, Financial, Hospitality or Restaurants. The Revisionist had also adopted this practice of rounding off to the nearest Rupee, which by any stretch of imagination cannot amount to be indulging in any Unfair Trade Practice or Deficiency in Service.
15. In the facts and circumstances of the case, we are not going in to the various decisions cited by the learned Counsel for the Parties.
16. As we have come to the conclusion that the Revisionist had neither indulged in any Unfair Trade Practice nor there is any Deficiency in Service, the question of paying any compensation in the facts of the present case does not arise. The award of compensation is reduced to 'Nil'. If any amount has been deposited by the Revisionist before this Commission or before the Fora below, 8 it shall be refunded alongwith accrued interest, if any, to the Revisionist. However, if the amount or any part of it has been permitted to be withdrawn by the Complainants taking into consideration the special facts and circumstances of the case, the Complainants shall not be asked to refund the same." mijksDr U;kf;d n`"Vkarksa ds ifjizS{; esa tgak 50 iSls ;k mlls vf/kd jkf'k gks ogak ij vihykFkhZ jkm.M vkWQ esa iw.kZ :i;k vFkkZr~ 224@&:i;s 50 iSls vFkkZr~ 225@&:i;s izkIr djus ds gdnkj gks tkrs gS] ftl ij fopkj fd;s fcuk gh fo)ku v/khuLFk ftyk vk;ksx us ifjokn Lohdkj fd;k gS vr% fo)ku v/khuLFk ftyk vk;ksx dk vk{ksfir fu.kZ; fnukad 18-03-2021 fLFkj jgus ;ksX; ugha gS] tks vikLr fd;k tkrk gS ,ao izR;FkhZ@ifjoknh dk ifjokn vLohdkj fd;k tkrk gSA rn~uqlkj vihykFkhZ dh vihy Lohdkj dh tkrh gSA ;fn vihykFkhZ@foi{kh us v/khuLFk ftyk vk;ksx ds vkyksP; fu.kZ; fnukad 18-03-2021 dh ikyuk esa dksbZ jkf'k tek djok j[kh gS rks og mUgsa okfil ykSVkbZ tkosA ¼ 'kksHkk flag½ ¼ cuokjh yky 'kekZ ½ lnL; v/;{k