Post office fined Rs 4,000 for dishonouring woman's cheque

NEW DELHI: A post office here has been directed by the Delhi Consumer Commission to pay Rs 4,000 as compensation to a woman, whose cheque had bounced due to a technical snag in the computer.

"It is not the concern of the consumer whether the computer develops any defects or it functions properly. It is the duty and obligation of the service provider to keep the machines in order," the Commission presided over by Justice J D Kapoor said in a recent order.
   
Dismissing the appeal by the post master of New Sabzi Mandi post office here, the Commission held it guilty of "deficiency of service" and noted that in such cases, a consumer was forced to suffer loss of reputation and mental agony for no fault of her.
   
It's direction in the matter came after the post master had approached the Commission against a Consumer Forum's order, which had in April, 2004 allowed the complaint of Kunti Devi with a direction to pay her the compensation.
   
Devi, a resident of Azadpur who maintained an account with the post office, had complained that a cheque of Rs 40,000 was dishonoured by the latter despite having sufficient balance in it and sought damages for the humiliation and mental trauma.

The post office told the Commission that they could not be held deficient in service as the cheque bounced due to a technical fault in the computer.
   
Quashing the plea, the Commission noted that if they had chosen computers for conducting banking activities, it was their "duty" to keep the machines in order.
   
It has now ordered the post office to pay Rs 4,000, including compensation and cost of litigation, to Devi within a month.