M/S SHYAM BEEJ BHANDAR Vs. SURESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The producer and distributor of groundnut seeds, namely, M/s. Shyam Beej Bhandar and Shree Ram Agro Bio-Tech ("appellants", for short) respectively have filed these appeals assailing the order dtd. 19/3/2021 passed by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, New Delhi ("NCDRC", for short) in Revision Petition Nos.1275 to 1281 of 2019.

(2.) By the impugned order, the NCDRC has set aside the order dtd. 4/4/2019 passed by the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Rajasthan ("State Commission", for short) which was in favour of the appellants and thereby sustained the order dtd. 28/8/2018 passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Alwar, Rajasthan ("District Forum", for short) in all the complaints filed by the respondents-farmers.

(3.) Briefly stated the facts of the case are that the respondentsfarmers approached the appellant for the purchase of ground nut seeds on 15/6/2013. Around four months later, in October, a complaint was filed by the respondents-farmers before the Deputy Director (Agriculture), District Council, Alwar alleging substandard quality of the seeds leading to the failure of the crop. Accordingly, a committee was constituted to investigate the failure of the crop. The committee submitted its inspection report on 9/10/2013. Thereafter, the respondents-farmers filed complaints under Sec. 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 before the District Forum. The District Forum, vide order dtd. 28/8/2018, allowed the complaints and directed the appellant(s) to make payment of different amounts to the respondents-farmers along with compensation of Rs.20,000.00 and cost of the suit at Rs.5,000.00 each. Aggrieved, the appellant preferred Appeal No.754/2018 before the State Commission. The State Commission, vide order dtd. 4/4/2019, set aside the order of the District Commission dtd. 28/8/2018. In turn, the respondents-farmers moved the NCDRC by filing Revision Petition Nos.1275-1282 of 2019. Vide the impugned order dtd. 19/3/2021, the NCDRC set aside the order of the State Commission and restored the order of the District Forum.