SPEED POST CUSTOMER CARE CENTRE Vs. NIRANJAN SAHOO

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The complainant, Niranjan Sahoo was sent an interview letter by Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata, requesting him to appear for an interview for selection to a faculty position, at its campus on 02-06-2007. The letter dispatched by the aforesaid institute was posted through speed post on 22-05-2007 but came to be delivered to the complainant on 06-06-2007, four days after the date of interview. As a result, the complainant could not appear in the interview and, therefore, lost a chance for being considered for the aforesaid post.

(2.) This is also the case of the complainant that on 04-08-2007, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar National Institute of Social Science, Indore sent a letter addressed to his brother, which reached him on 29-08-2007. As a result, his younger brother lost the opportunity for admission in the aforesaid institute. Being aggrieved from the aforesaid delays and consequent loss of opportunities the complainant approached the concerned District Forum, seeking compensation to the extent of Rs.9,99,000/- being the expenditure incurred in acquiring educational qualifications required for the job and Rs.10,00,000/- on account of mental compensation, etc..

(3.) The complaint was resisted by Union of India, primarily relying upon the relevant rule which stipulated that in case of delivery of domestic speed post article beyond the norms determined by the Department of Posts from time to time the compensation to be provided shall be equal to the composite speed post charges paid. It was also stated in the aforesaid reply that even the norms stipulated by the post office were not applicable since Belonia is not a National Speed Post Centre and Sarasima is a branch post office which is 150 kilometers away from Agartala. The post office, however, did not deny the booking of the speed post articles with them on the dates mentioned in the complaint.