Madurai
The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Madurai, on Friday ordered payment of ₹25, 000 as compensation to a consumer for delay in delivery of a postal article.
The forum directed the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Madurai Division, and the Post Master of Gandhi Nagar Post Office to pay the compensation.
According to the complainant, B. Vimaladass, he had sent an application on the basis of an employment notification issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate in 2016 for the posts of Office Assistant, Masalchi (Kitchen Helper) and Night Watchman.
The last day for receiving applications was June 23 and the complainant had sent his application on June 20. However, he did not receive an acknowledgement letter. On July 5, he received an intimation from the Chief Judicial Magistrate stating that his application was rejected as it was received only on July 1.
The complainant tracked his registered envelope through the registered article tracking system and found that the application had reached the Gandhi Nagar Post Office on June 21. However, it was delivered after a delay of 10 days. This resulted in the complainant losing his employment opportunity.
It was found that the post went missing when articles were separated for being placed in a tray for preparation of delivery slip. Later, the post was retrieved from under a bureau at the Gandhi Nagar Post Office and then sent for delivery, resulting in the delay.
The forum, comprising president V. Balasundarakumar and members C. Packialakshmi and M. Maraikamalai, held that the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Madurai Division, and the Post Master of Gandhi Nagar Post Office were jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation of ₹ 25,000 for the mental agony suffered by the complainant and ordered an additional compensation of ₹3,000. However, the forum dismissed the complaint against the Post Master of Madurai District Court Complex Post Office.
