Baramulla: Legal Metrology Department Baramulla redressed a consumer complaint through Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanism (ADRM) after a consumer had approached the Department with a complaint alleging that a local hardware seller cheated him by resorting to overcharging on the pretext of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and by adopting faulty weighing/ measurement practice. The Department officials carried out a preliminary inquiry in order to check veracity of the consumer complaint received.
The preliminary inquiry revealed that the consumer grievance was genuine. GST bill issued by the trader showed that GST was charged on invoice value instead of charging the same on taxable value which is an unfair trade practice. This way the consumer was charged Rs. 3600 more than he had to actually pay as GST on the given taxable value of goods purchased by the consumer. Besides, the trader had used non-standard units of measurement which is an offence under Legal Metrology Laws.
Assistant Controller Baramulla, after hearing both sides of the dispute, directed the trader to refund consumer the overcharged amount. Consumer was refunded the amount of Rs. 3600 by the trader. For offences committed under Legal Metrology Laws, the trader was penalized with fine.
