NCDRC - Wherever the builder commits a particular date or time frame for completion of the construction and offering possession to the buyer, he must necessarily honour the commitment made by him, If the builder can indefinitely postpone and delay the construction of the flat and the flat buyer has no option but to wait till the builder decides to complete the construction and offer possession to the buyer, that would be nothing but a travesty of justice.

 In the Matter of Pradeep Narula & Anr. Vs. M/s. Granite Gate Properties Pvt. Ltd. & Anr. Complaint no. Consumer Case No. 315 OF 2014 decided on 23.08.2016 before National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

The NCDRC in this case Observed that 

"10.   ...........  The primary purpose of a consumer in booking a residential flat which the builder is to construct for him, is to start living in that house on or about the date committed to him by the builder for delivering possession of the flat booked by him.  If the builder does not deliver upon his contractual obligation and at the same time, is unable to show that the delay in completion of the flat and offering its possession to the consumer was on account on circumstances beyond his control, this would constitute deficiency on the part of the builder / service provider in rendering services to the consumer.  If I accept the contention that the builder can indefinitely postpone and delay the construction of the flat and the flat buyer has no option but to wait till the builder decides to complete the construction and offer possession to the buyer, that would be nothing but a travesty of justice and result in a situation where the flat buyer is left at the mercy of the builder, without recourse to an appropriate legal remedy.  Such an interpretation, if taken, is bound to defeat the very objective behind the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, as far as housing construction is concerned.  Therefore, I am unable to accept the contention advanced by the learned counsel for the opposite party.  In my view, wherever the builder commits a particular date or time frame for completion of the construction and offering possession to the buyer, he must necessarily honour the commitment made by him, though a minor delay may not constitute deficiency in the service rendered by him to the buyer.  Of course, if the builder is able to how that the delay in completion of the construction and offering possession to the buyer is attributable wholly to the circumstances beyond his control, that may not be a case of deficiency in the services rendered to the consumer".

Flat Owners’ Association That Are Formed Due to Mandate of Law Cannot File a Consumer Complaint: Supreme Court

 A bench of Justices Mohan M Shantanagoudar and R Subhash Reddy passed their judgement while dismissing a civil appeal filed by Sobha Hibiscus Condominium against Managing Director of M/s Sobha Developers Ltd. 

The Supreme Court in its verdict held that an association which consists of members of flat owners in a building, registered compulsorily under the provisions of Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972, cannot be said to be a voluntary organisation. Therefore it cannot file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act against any deficiency in goods or services under the welfare legislation.

This order came when two judge bench was considering an appeal against the National Commission order which rejected the complaint filed by the Association on the ground that it has no locus standi to file the complaint since neither it is a ‘consumer’ nor it is a ‘recognised consumer association’ within the meaning of Section 12 of the Act.

    In the instant case, the complainant is a statutory body under the provisions of Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act. It consists of members, who are the owners of an apartment called “Shoba Hibiscus”. The Apex Court said that it is clear from the objects of the said Act that it was enacted with a view to provide for the ownership of an individual apartment in a building to make such apartment heritable and transferable property. Once the apartments are registered under this Act, the owners, among other rights, would also get an undivided interest in the common areas and facilities of the apartment complex.

However, the mandatory provision of the law for registration of the flat owners’ association takes away its voluntariness, precluding it to invoke the consumer law. Going through the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, the court said the statute made it clear that any recognised consumer association could file a complaint but such a group had to be of voluntary nature, registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or any other law.

The Supreme Court said that a voluntary consumer association is a body formed by a group of persons coming together, of their own will and without any pressure or influence from anyone and without being mandated by any other provisions of law.

In the said instance therefore the association formed by the members of the “Shoba Hibiscus” cannot be recognised as a consumer association because it has come into existence pursuant to a declaration which is required to be made compulsorily under the provisions of 1972 Act. Since it is not a ‘consumer’ or a ‘recognised consumer association’ within the meaning of Section 12 of the Act, it cannot file a complaint.

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 - For determining pecuniary jurisdiction, value of the goods or services paid as consideration alone has to be taken

 The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in M/S Pyaridevi Chabiraj Steels Pvt. Ltd. V. National Insurance Company Ltd. & Ors. [Consumer Case No. 833 of 2020]  held that for determining the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Consumer. The value of the goods “paid” as consideration has to be taken and not the value of goods or services “purchased”.

It was held that, “It appears that the Parliament, while enacting the Act of 2019 was conscious of this fact and to ensure that Consumer should approach the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission whether it is District, State or National only the value of the consideration paid should be taken into consideration while determining the pecuniary jurisdiction and not value of the goods or services and compensation, and that is why a specific provision has been made in Sections 34 (1), 47 (1) (a) (i) and 58 (1) (a) (i) providing for the pecuniary jurisdiction of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and the National Commission respectively.”