Municipal Council asked to pay Rs 14,000 as compensation

A consumer forum here has penalised the Municipal Council for late renewal of a consumer's APL card and directed it to pay Rs 14,000 as compensation.
The Consumer Forum, Mandi, asked the Municipal Council, Mandi, to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation and Rs 4000 as cost of complaint to one Vinod Kumar for late renewal of his APL consumer card (ration card).
As per the complainant, he had applied for the renewal of the APL consumer card on 1-11-2012, deposited excessive charges of Rs 50 for it, though as per norms he was supposed to pay Rs 5, but the card was not issued to him.

Executive Officerof the Municipal Council said the complaint was not maintainable and it was further alleged that the consumer card had been issued to the consumer on 30-9-2013.
It was further alleged that the complainant had received the card as he had also applied under the provisions of HP Public Services Guarantee Act.
The Forum held that there had been deficiency in service on the part of Executive Officer and as per provisions of HP Public Services Guarantee Act, the ration card/consumer card should had been given to the complainant within 15 days but there had been inordinate delay in giving the card to the complainant, about 11 months, due to which the complainant could not get subsidised ration.