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The Uttarakhand State Commission upheld ₹37,222 for railway theft but vacated the ₹25,000 mental agony award and lowered interest from 9% to 7% p.a. from the complaint date. It held that mental anguish does not merit separate compensation under the Consumer Protection Act, impacting passengers claiming redress for railway service lapses.
The J&K High Court upheld the arbitral award, applying Section 14 Limitation Act to remove prior writ and LPA time from the three-year limitation period. It barred the appellants from challenging the arbitration they initiated and capped interest on the award at 6% per annum.
CESTAT Kolkata ruled that 12% interest on delayed customs refunds accrues from the expiry of three months after the refund application is filed, not from the re-assessment order date, affirming the higher statutory rate and clarifying the starting point for interest calculation under Section 27.
CESTAT ruled that a refund of service tax paid under a mistake of fact attracts interest at 12% per annum, superseding the earlier 6% rate. This higher rate applies to any taxpayer seeking restitution for erroneous service tax payments, enhancing compensation for delayed refunds. The decision sets a binding precedent for future service tax refund claims.
A Delhi consumer commission ruled that a bank’s unilateral increase of loan interest above the RBI-prescribed base-rate, without informing the borrower, amounts to deficiency in service and an unfair trade practice. The bank must revert the rate, refund excess interest and pay compensation, safeguarding borrowers from arbitrary rate hikes.
Bombay High Court reaffirms that mediclaim payments cannot be deducted from motor accident compensation, aligning with Supreme Court precedent. The court also reduced the interest rate from 15% to 12% per annum, citing lack of evidence and prevailing lower interest trends, setting a binding precedent for future compensation claims.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court held that while review petitions cannot substitute appeals, they may adjust interest rates on pension arrears under equitable principles when the delay in payment arises from circumstances beyond the government body's control, such as pending criminal investigations. This sets a precedent for balancing fiscal responsibility with fair compensation to retirees facing unjustified delays due to external legal processes.
The West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled that consumer fora lack authority to alter contractual interest rates or auction rights in gold loan agreements, even in cases of default. The decision reinforces the binding nature of contractual terms between lenders and borrowers, limiting consumer fora's intervention to service deficiencies only.
Punjab & Haryana High Court rules that Section 34 CPC overrides contractual interest rates in non-commercial agreements, limiting future interest to 6% per annum even if parties agreed to higher rates. The judgment reinforces statutory protections in private residential transactions, impacting sellers defaulting on sale agreements.
Punjab & Haryana HC rules that contractual interest rates in mortgage agreements prevail over statutory caps, even for agricultural loans. The court held that Order XXXIV Rule 11 CPC governs interest awards, prioritizing contractual terms over the borrower's purpose, impacting lenders and borrowers in mortgage disputes.