Raipur Consumer Court’s big decision on car getting damaged due to E20 petrol, orders company to get new car or return full amount

Raipur: Amidst the ongoing debate across the country regarding E20 petrol, an important case has come to light from Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh. Raipur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Consumer Court), while giving its verdict in favor of a vehicle owner, has directed the car manufacturing company and the dealer to either provide a new car to the customer or refund the full price of the vehicle. Along with this, an order has also been given to pay compensation for the repair expenses and mental torture.

Read :- Political uproar increased in the country regarding E20 Petrol, Kejriwal wrote a letter to PM Modi, said – the mileage of vehicles is decreasing, the price should be reduced.

Problems started after filling E20 petrol

The complainant said that after he started using E20 petrol, his car started facing technical problems continuously. The performance of the engine was affected, misfiring started happening frequently and gradually the mileage and efficiency also started declining. As the problem increased, the vehicle was taken to the authorized service center several times, but despite repairs every time, the problem could not be completely resolved. Ultimately, major repairs related to the engine came to the fore, after which the vehicle owner approached the Consumer Commission.

What argument did the company give?

During the hearing, the car manufacturer and dealer rejected the allegations and said that the model in question is fully compatible with E20 petrol. The company said that the vehicle’s malfunction could be due to normal use, lack of maintenance or other technical reasons, which have no connection with E20 petrol.

Read:- Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to 29 auto manufacturing companies, asking whether the car companies will compensate for the loss caused by E20?

Why did the Commission accept the consumer’s side?

After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the Consumer Commission found that the complainant continued getting the vehicle repaired in the authorized workshop, but the problem remained the same. The Commission acknowledged that the failure to resolve the problem despite repeated repairs was an indication that the problem was not addressed effectively. The Commission also said in its order that at present only E20 petrol is being made available at most of the petrol pumps. In such a situation, consumers are left with no practical option for other fuels. Therefore, the vehicle owner cannot be expected not to use E20 petrol.

Order for a new car or a full refund

Accepting the complaint, the Commission directed the car manufacturing company and the dealer to provide a new car to the vehicle owner or refund the full price of the vehicle. Apart from this, orders have also been given to compensate for the repair expenses, compensation for mental pain and litigation expenses. The Commission has also fixed a time limit for complying with the order. If payment is not made within the stipulated period then the parties concerned will have to repay the amount along with interest.

Why is the decision considered important

Read :- Viksit Bharat Conclave: Nitin Gadkari challenged the critics, said – let them name even one car which has faced problems with E20.

This decision has come at a time when the use of ethanol mixed E20 petrol is being rapidly promoted in the country. In such a situation, this matter is not considered limited to just one vehicle, but also raises important questions like the rights of consumers, responsibility of vehicle companies and the actual compatibility of vehicles with E20 fuel.