NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED Vs. DALJEET SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Ms. Rumnita Mittal, Member-This order shall govern the disposal of application dated 25.8.2000 filed by the appellant/applicant along with the above mentioned appeal for condonation of delay in filing the present appeal. The brief facts, relevant for the disposal of the present application are, that the complaint, filed by the respondent Shri Daljeet Singh under Sec.12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), before the District Forum was decided vide order dated 4.5.2000, whereby the said complaint filed by the respondent was allowed with the directions to the appellant to pay to the respondent a sum of Rs.63,988/- together with interest @ 12% from the date of reporting the loss i. e.10.8.1998 till the date of payment, as well as Rs.2,500/- as cost of litigation.

(2.) The appellant being aggrieved by the aforesaid order has filed the present appeal along with an application for condonation of delay. On 30.5.2003 it was prayed by the learned Counsel for the respondent that before deciding the appeal on merits, the application of the appellant for condonation of delay be disposed of first. Accordingly with the consent of both the parties we have heard the arguments advanced in respect of the abovesaid application.

(3.) In order to decide the present application for condonation of delay, we may first refer to Sec.15 of Act, which is being reproduced below : "15. Appeal-Any person aggrieved by an order made by the District Forum may prefer an appeal against such order to the State Commission within a period of thirty days from the date of the order, in such form and manner as may be prescribed : provided that the State Commission may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing it within that period. "