COFFEE BOARD Vs. K S SEETHARAMA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this revision petition challenge is to the order of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Karnataka in Appeal No. 2391/2006 dated 28.11.2006 dismissing the appeal as barred by limitation and also on merits, and confirming the order of the District Forum. Facts of the case in brief :

(2.) The respondent-1 who is the owner of the Coffee Estate has secured a loan from Canara Bank, Suntikoppa Branch under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme (KCCS). As on 28.3.2002 he was due to the Bank Rs. 2,32,856. The respondent-1 had also borrowed Plantation Development Loan (PDL) from the Bank and balance amount due as on 27.3.2002 was Rs. 4,57,957. As per pass sheet furnished by the Bank the total amount due with interest as on 28.10.2002 was Rs. 1,79,698 in KCCS 32/99 and Rs. 4,96,113 in PDL account No. 3/99.

(3.) As per the Special Coffee Term Loan Scheme in pursuance of the Government notification the Bank debited Rs. 6,75,811 to the loan account of the respondent-1 with an intention to give the benefit of the scheme announced by the Government notification. The respondent-1 paid Rs. 2,65,642 towards interest which accrued for the period from 1.4.2000 to 31.3.2005, as the Government of India had announced a package of relief measures to improve coffee sector which was published by the Press Information Bureau. This was also published in news bulletin by the Coffee Board and also in its website. Further, this was published in the Kannada newspaper Prajavani dated 25.5.2005 according to which the parties who pay interest on or before June 2005 are entitled to rebate of 2/3rd portion of the interest. The extract of the newspaper report which is translated in English reads as follows :