Consumer commission orders ISKCON to refund booking money for hall after wedding cancelled due to Covid

Bengaluru: The Consumer Commission has directed ISKCON, Bengaluru to refund an amount of Rs 1.19 lakh collected towards booking of its wedding hall to the customer.

The complainant, Nanjundegowda, 67, had booked the convention hall for his son’s wedding which was supposed to be held in September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. He had paid Rs 2.47 lakh for 2-day functions that was to be organised in the hall. However owing to the Covid situation, the complainant cancelled his booking and sought a refund of the paid amount but received only Rs 1.13 lakh of the paid amount.

He then approached the consumer commission against ISKCON seeking a refund of Rs 1.34 lakh together with interest.

ISKCON, in its reply, confirmed the hall booking by Nanjundegowda and said that they had collected Rs 7,500 towards performing ‘Narasimha Homa’. However since the same was not performed they would refund this amount. There is no deficiency of service, it claimed.

The commission, comprising president KS Bilagi and member Renukadevi Deshpande heard arguments of both the parties, observed that non-refund of the amount of Rs 1.19 lakh amounts to deficiency of service and directed ISKCON to refund Rs 1.19 lakh, including ‘Homa’ cost of Rs 7,500, to the complainant within 60 days. In case of delay in refunding the money, ISKCON would be liable to pay interest at the rate of 8 per cent it said.