The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) was recently ordered to pay a man Rs 2,000 in compensation after he was denied Rs 1 change for a bus ride by the Bengaluru Urban District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission.
According to several media reports, in 2019, a man named Ramesh Naik went on a BMTC bus from Shantinagar to Majestic bus depot, during which the conductor issued a ticket for Rs 29. The complainant paid Rs 30 and was not given the change.
Keeping up the fight, Naik then complained about the conductor to BMTC’s high authorities. To his surprise, the authorities made fun of him and drove him away.
Unhappy with this, he filed a complaint with the local consumer court, asking Rs 15,000 in compensation.
The court has now ordered the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to pay the guy Rs 2,000 in compensation. The court also ordered BMTC to pay Rs 1,000 towards the complainant’s legal expenses.
“It is the customer’s right to receive the balance due to him, even if it is Rs 1,” the court said while slamming the managing director of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for the incident.
When Naik presented his case in court on his own, the counsel for BMTC refuted the charge, claiming the lawsuit was frivolous.
The judges of the consumer court stated in their judgement announced on January 31, 2023 that the complaint is undoubtedly modest in nature, but the BMTC bus conductor’s ‘inattentive’ and ‘irresponsible’ service is unacceptable.” It is the right of the consumer to collect his money even if it is Re 1 and, thus, he is entitled by the Customer Protection Act, 1986 to receive proper compensation from BMTC for the shortcomings,” the judges underlined.
The court ruled that the BMTC’s MD must repay Re 1 to the bus passenger in addition to providing him Rs 2,000 in compensation for the inconvenience. Court further directed that Naik be given Rs 1,000 for his lawsuit fees, and that all monies be paid within 45 days of the decision, or interest would be assessed as a penalty.
