Chandigarh: Sector-22 book store fined for overcharging

Increased awareness about consumer rights led a Panchkula resident to win a case in Chandigarh consumer forum as she filed a complaint for being overcharged ₹156 for a set of books she purchased from a book store in Sector 22.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the bookstore and a Delhi-based publication to pay ₹2,000 to the complainant as composite compensation for causing mental agony and harassment, and as litigation expense.
Complainant Sandeep Kaur, a resident of Panchkula, had filed a complaint against Punjab Book Store in Sector 22 and Low-Price Publications in Delhi, who have been jointly asked to pay the compensation.
The complainant said the seller at the bookstore assured her that the store was selling books at a 20% discount. Thereafter, she purchased 10 books for ₹3,168 on August 31, 2021, and another four books for ₹1,388.
The next day, the complainant found out that the actual cost of one book was ₹120 only and a separate sticker of ₹250 was affixed on top of the original price by the publications. After removing stickers from the books, it was found that the complainant had paid ₹4,556 for 14 books, where the actual cost was ₹4,400 and with discount, it was to be ₹3,925.
She moved the consumer forum, alleging unfair trade practices. The forum observed that the complainant had paid an excess amount of ₹156.
“It is an admitted fact that the new price stickers have not been placed over the original printed price on the books, rather their books were received from the publication along with stickers on it and a price list was also received. Hence, we are of the view that the practice adopted is an unfair trade practice. Opposite parties are also deficient in providing service to the complainant, as they have charged extra,” ruled the forum.
The forum stated that the main grievance of the complainant is that the book store had put higher price stickers on the original printed price of the books and in turn paid a higher total payment of ₹4,556 when the actual cost of books was ₹4,400. After the forum found that the actual price of books was hidden with a sticker and the complainant was forced to shell out more, it termed the sale as an “unfair trade practice”.