The Post Office did not return 50 paise to the customer, now it will have to pay Rs 15,000

Consumer Commission: A post office will have to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation for not returning 50 paise to a customer.

Consumer Commission Decision: A post office will have to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation for not returning 50 paise to a customer. Chennai resident Mansa went to the Polichalur post office in December 2023 to post a letter. The postal charge was Rs 29.50, but he paid Rs 30. He asked the post office clerk for 50 paise, but the clerk said that the system rounds off the amount to Rs 30, so 50 paise could not be returned. Mansa objected to this and offered to make the payment through UPI, but the post office refused, citing technical issues. He then filed a complaint with the Consumer Commission.

Consumer Commission

Commission says- Unfair Practice

During the hearing, Mansa said that the practice of rounding off is a violation of consumer rights. On the other hand, post office officials said that digital payment was stopped due to technical issues. After hearing both sides, the Consumer Commission ruled that the post office had taken excess money due to software malfunction, which is an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act. The commission ordered the post office to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation instead of 50 paise.