NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSALCOMMISSION
NATIONAL
CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSALCOMMISSION
NEW DELHI
REVISION
PETITION NO. 1363 of 2003
(From the order dated 17.2.2003 in S.C.
Case No. 473/A/98 of the State Commission, West Bengal)
Ashoke
Khan Petitioner
Versus
Abdul Karim
& Ors. Respondents
BEFORE :
HONBLE
MR. JUSTICE M.B.SHAH, PRESIDENT.
DR. P.D.
SHENOY, MEMBER.
For the Petitioner : Mr. Pijush Kanti Roy, Advocate.
For the
Respondents : Mr. D.N. Ray, Advocate
DATE : 30th AUGUST, 2005
O R D
E R
M.B.SHAH, J. PRESIDENT.
The
say of the Petitioner is that he is an authorised dealer of M/s. Bengal Tools
Ltd. which is dealing in the sale of power tillers used for the purpose of
agriculture and also as a carrier under the name and style of Krishi Pragati. Respondent No.1
(Complainant) approached the Petitioner for purchasing the power tiller after
obtaining a loan of Rs.70,000 from the State Bank of India, Murshidabad, by
mortgaging the land. The price of the power tiller was Rs.80,000/-.
The power tiller was delivered on 27.3.1996, which was hypothecated with the
Bank.
It
is the contention of the Complainant that on taking the delivery of the power
tiller, it was noticed that it had developed snags. Therefore, the Complainant
approached the Petitioner (the dealer) for repair of the same, during
the warranty period. The Petitioner sent mechanics on several occasions to
repair the said tiller, but the defects could not be removed. It is also
contended that on 23.1.1998 one mechanic of the Petitioner took away some
valuable parts of the said power tiller. The Complainant failed to get any
relief from the Petitioner and the Respondent No.2, the manufacturer, M/s.
Bengal Tools Ltd., therefore, filed Complaint Case No. 18 of 1998 before the
District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Murshidabad.
The District Forum arrived at the conclusion that the Petitioner was the
authorised dealer of Respondent No.2, the manufacturer; by its letter dated 29th December, 1998, the dealer admitted that the power tiller was not performing
normally; and, it was not of standard quality. On the basis of the correspondence, the
District Forum arrived at the conclusion that immediately after purchase of the
said tiller it developed some snags and during the warranty period some materials
were also supplied. Considering the
aforesaid facts, by judgment and order dated 31.8.1998, the District Forum
allowed the complaint and directed the dealer and the manufacturer (Petitioner
and Respondent No.2) to jointly and severally return
the consideration money after deducting 10% towards depreciation for the use of
the said power tiller.
Admittedly, the order passed by the
District Forum was not challenged by the manufacturer nor any revision
application was filed by it.
Against
that judgment and order, the dealer preferred Appeal No.478/A/98 before the
State Commission. After considering all
the relevant facts, the State Commission dismissed the appeal with a direction
that the amount shall be paid to the bank as the power tiller was hypothecated
with the Bank.
Aggrieved by the judgment and order of
the State Commission, the dealer has filed the present revision petition.
Learned Counsel appearing for
the Petitioner (the dealer) submitted that for the manufacturing defects the dealer
cannot be held jointly
and severally liable to pay any
compensation to the Complainant. For this purpose, he relied upon the
observation of the Apex Court in Hindustan Motors Ltd. & Anr. Vs. N. Sivakumar & Anr.
(2000) 10 SCC 654, which reads as under:
We have heard learned counsel for the parties.
Leave granted.
Learned Senior Counsel appearing on behalf of the appellants has stated
before us and it is also mentioned in the synopsis of facts given in the
special leave petition that M/s Hindustan Motors who are the appellants before
us have stopped manufacturing Ambassador NOVA model cars and, therefore, the
order of the National Commission that a new car be supplied to the respondent
cannot be complied with.
In this situation, we are left with no alternative except to direct that
the order passed by the State Commission for the refund of Rs.1,77,200 along
with interest at the rate of 12 per cent from the date of the complaint till
actual payment, together with a sum of Rs.50,000/- as compensation for mental
pain and agony, be complied with as we are fully satisfied, on the facts of the
case, that the appellants had sold a defective car to the respondent and the
offer of the appellants for repairs including replacement of a new engine block
will not be a substitute for a new car which the respondent legally deserves to
be supplied. The order of the State Commission for payment of Rs.3000 towards
costs is also maintained.
The observations of the National Commission to the following effect:
An apprehension has been expressed by the dealer that the burden of
this may ultimately fall upon the dealer. We make it clear that for the
manufacturing defects in the vehicle, the dealer cannot be held liable. The
liability must be borne by the manufacturer.
are also maintained.
The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
As against this, Mr. Ray,
learned Counsel for the Respondent No.1 (Complainant) submitted that the orders
passed by the District Forum and the State Commission are justified on the
facts, as agent / dealer and the manufacturer are jointly and severally liable
because the purchaser of the vehicle knows the dealer and not the
manufacturer. The privity of contract
is between the dealer and the purchaser. He also submitted that under the
Contract Act dealer or agent would be jointly and severally liable. For this
purpose, reliance is placed on Sections 226 and 237 of the Contract Act. In support of his contention he has also
placed reliance on the decision of the Apex Court in
Jose Philip Mampillil Vs. Premier Automobiles Ltd.
& Anr. (2004) 2 SCC 278, the relevant portion is
as under:
8. In our view, it is
shameful that a defective car was sought to be sold as a brand new car.
It is further regrettable that, instead of acknowledging the defects, the 1st
respondent chose to deny liability and has contested this matter. For this
failure in service the appellant is entitled to the following reliefs:
(a)
..The liability to pay the repair cost will be
joint and several of both the respondents. The 2nd respondent is being held
jointly liable as it was the duty of the 2nd respondent to have refused to
deliver a defective car and in any case to have properly repaired the car
during the warranty period..
(b)
It is
clarified that the liability to pay is, as stated above, joint and several. In
the event of the amount not being paid forthwith, the District Forum shall
ensure execution expeditiously and immediately, if necessary, by making the
2nd respondent pay initially. It will then be for the 2nd respondent to claim
reimbursement from the 1st respondent, if in law they are entitled to do so.
(c)
There is
no doubt that the appellant has had to suffer mental agony in taking delivery
of a defective car after having paid for a brand new car and in taking the car
again and again to the dealer for repairs. For this mental agony and torture,
we direct that the appellant shall be entitled to a sum of Rs.40,000. The liability to pay this amount shall also be
joint and several of both the respondents. This amount is to be paid within
a period of one month from today. The District Forum shall ensure payment, if
necessary, by execution.
(d)
The 1st
respondent had unnecessarily filed an appeal before the State Forum. . We,
therefore, direct the 1st respondent to pay to the appellant by way of costs a
sum of Rs.50,000/-.
The
aforesaid subsequent judgment rendered in Philip Mampillil
Vs. Premier Automobiles Ltd. & Anr. (Supra) makes
the position clear that dealer/agent and manufacturer would be jointly and
severally liable. Further, considering the provisions of Section 226 of the Contract Act, it cannot
be said that agent or dealer is not jointly and severally liable for the defects in the power
tiller, as the contract is through the
dealer. Therefore, privity
of contract is with him. It is true that normally such liability with regard to
the manufacturing defects is to be borne by the manufacturer. But, that would not mean that the dealer is
absolved from joint and several liability. As held in the aforesaid case the District
Forum shall ensure
execution expeditiously and immediately, if necessary, by making
the petitioner to pay initially and,
then, it will be for the petitioner to claim reimbursement from the
manufacturer (Respondent No.2).
In
the result, the Revision Petition is dismissed. There shall be no order as to
costs.
Sd/-
...J.
(M.B.SHAH)
PRESIDENT
Sd/-
..