POST MASTER vs GAJANAN PUNJABRAO DESHMUKH

WE are proceeding to dispose of this appeal at the stage of admission itself on hearing the parties as also on perusal of the material available before us.

APPELLANTS Postal Department herein are the original O.P. in the aforesaid complaint and have challenged the order dated 16.7.2001 of that Forum, where under the District Forum has held the Postal Authority deficient in service to the complainant in the matter of remittance of money order, which the complainant sent from Akola to Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. The money order was sent on 22.1.2001 but till March, 2001, the same did not reach to its addressee. The complainant made inquiries but according to him, he was not given satisfactory replies, hence the complaint. Appellant before the District Forum admitted having processing of the money order, but as far as delivery to the addressee, it was stated that the Post Office at Akola promptly on the network transmitted the necessary message to its counter part at Lucknow in U.P. but because of some mechanical failure the message did not reach the destination.

It further urged that on receipt of the complaint from the complainant, the matter was investigated and the amount of money order of Rs. 1,100/- and Rs. 55/- as commission charges were remitted to the complainant but he refused to receive and accept the same. The complainant who is appearing in person stated that by that time he has already taken steps by approaching before the District Forum and, therefore, he did not accept the money order.

MR. Jaiswal after obtaining instructions from MR. H.V. Pande-employee of the Postal Department, stated that the appellants are ready and willing to refund the amount of the Money Order to the complainant. We think in this matter, following will be the appropriate order : ORDER "Appeal is formally admitted and by consent made returnable forthwith. We are disposing of this appeal with modification as under : 1. Operative Clause No. 1 of the order, ordering payment of Rs. 1,100/- plus Rs. 900/- stands confir-med. 2. Appellants shall also refund a sum of Rs. 55/- being the Commission charges on the money order received from the complainant. 3. As far as operative Clause No. 2 is concerned, we reduce the amount from Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 1,500/-. 4. Order of cost as far as Clause No. 4 also stands confirmed. 5. Appellants are given 4 weeks'' time for compliance of the order.

This appeal stands disposed of accordingly with no order as to costs. Appeal disposed of.