Post office superintendent penalised for delaying payment

The Haryana Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has penalised the senior superintendent of Head Post Office, Karnal, for delaying payment after the maturity date of Indira Vikas Patras (IVPs) purchased by a resident of the city. Ashwani Issar, a resident of Urban Estate, Karnal,had initially filed a complaint in the Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Karnal. Statingthat he had presented his IVPs worth Rs 20,000, which maturedin November 1999, to the Head Post Office in December 1999, Issar alleged that officials kept delaying the payment on one pretext or the other. He said his earnest money of Rs 22,000 given for a plot had to be forfeited since he could not make the balance payment in time. The Karnal forum directed the Head Post Office to pay Rs 20,000 to Issar, along with Rs 22,000 for the harassment. The post office appealed against theorder and said the payment wasdelayed because it was to be made through cheque. Commission President Justice R SMadan and Judicial Member B M Bedi observed that this stand did not absolve the post office of its liability, because it was under obligation to pay the amount on the same day. The commission, however, reduced the penalty of Rs 22,000 to Rs 2,000.