RABINDRA BHARATI UNIVERSITY DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION RABINDRA BHAVAN Vs. JAYATI ROY CHOWDHURY D/O SISIR ROY CHOWDHURY; SANJIB BISWAS S/O SUDHIR BISWAS; PRIYANKA SAHA D/O SIBESWAR SAHA; MOUSUMI DAS D/O SUNIL DAS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These 4 Revision Petitions, under Section 21(b) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (for short "the Act"), by Rabindra Bharati University (for short "the University"), the sole Opposite Party in the Complaints under the Act, are directed against separate orders, all dated 19.12.2016, passed by the West Bengal State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at Kolkata (for short "the State Commission") in First Appeals No. 886, 887, 888 & 889 of 2015 respectively. By the impugned orders, the State Commission has affirmed the orders dated 17.07.2015 passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, North 24 Pgs, Barasat (for short "the District Forum") in Complaint Cases No. 599, 600, 601 & 610 of 2014.

(2.) In the first instance, while accepting the Complaints, filed by the Respondents herein, alleging deficiency in service on the part of the University in holding the Post Graduate Diploma Course in NGO Management for the Academic Session 2011-12, for which they had paid the total course fee amounting to Rs. 15,000/- at a short notice, and, thus, depriving them of a due notice to get ready to take the said examination, the District Forum had directed the University to pay to each of the Complainants a sum of Rs. 15,000/-, along with interest @ 12% p.a. from the date of filing of the Complaints till realization, as also Rs. 5,000/- as litigation costs. The District Forum had also directed that if the said amounts were not paid to the Complainants within one month from the date of its orders, the University shall be liable to deposit in the State Consumer Welfare Fund a sum of Rs. 100/- per day as punitive damages from the date of the said orders till realization.

(3.) Upon notice, the Respondents/Complainants are represented by their Counsel.