Stand Up to Liquor Shop Overcharging: Consumer Court’s Verdict is a Victory for Consumers, Liquor Shop Vendor Fined INR 25,000 for Overcharging Customers

Cautionary Tide for Liquor shops surfing above MRP

DHARAMSHALA

RAJESH SURYAVANSHI

Editor-in-Chief

In a recent landmark verdict on 12th Sep 2023, handed down by a Consumer Court in
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, concerning the issue of liquor shop vendors
overcharging customers beyond the printed MRP (Maximum Retail Price) on the bottles, the court imposed a fine of INR 25,000 on the vendor, in addition to litigation
costs of INR 10,000. This legal action was taken after the liquor shop vendor based in Kandi Dharamshala had levied an extra charge of Rs 400 on a purchase totalling Rs 2240.
This suit was filed by Advocate Aashima Kalra, whose friends had visited Dharamshala
as tourists and fell victim to the overcharging practices of the liquor vendor.

Despite the consumer’s request to refrain from imposing these additional charges, the vendor disregarded their plea.
According to Advocate Aashima Kalra, this practice of liquor shop vendors
overcharging customers above the MRP is prevalent and widespread, particularly
among tourists.

Sadly, it has become an accepted norm, and very few people are inclined to challenge it or engage in confrontations, resulting in this unfair practice persisting.
She said, every year, a lot of people visit Himachal Pradesh from all over India.
Many of these visitors buy alcohol from shops, but they often end up paying more
than they should. This happens because they’re tourists, and they don’t want to argue with the shopkeepers on account of primarily three reasons First, the extra money isn’t
a lot for them. Second, they’re on vacation and don’t want any problems. Third, even
if they did want to do something, they might not have the time or resources to fight a case, especially in a different state. The shopkeepers know all about this very well. They
take advantage of the tourists’ situation and charge them more money without
worrying about getting in trouble.
The issue of overcharging is plastered all over the internet, in countless articles
and social media posts that are just a Google search away. This isn’t some hidden
secret; it’s a widespread mess that’s rotting our system. And what’s worse? Nobody’s
lifting a finger to fix it! Instead, this ugly practice has become the ugly truth, accepted like some twisted norm. It’s as if everyone’s just turned a blind eye, unwilling to stand up and fight.

This case is not about a few hundred bucks, this is about a deep-rooted issue in our
society. Every liquor shop owner needs to be held responsible, and this judgment needs to soar high & higher. It’s time for a wake-up call, a nationwide wake-up call, that if any liquor seller dares to charge more than the MRP, they’ll face the music.

This judgment isn’t just for those shopkeepers, it’s for every customer out there. It’s
for the ones who have felt cheated, who have felt powerless.

With this judgment, Consumers now have a weapon with them – a weapon to fight
back, to stand up and say, “No more!””

Sure, here is the rewritten news with the title “Cautionary Tide for Liquor Shops Surfing Above MRP”:

Cautionary Tide for Liquor Shops Surfing Above MRP

A Consumer Court in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh has imposed a fine of INR 25,000 on a liquor shop vendor for overcharging customers beyond the printed MRP. This is a landmark verdict that sets a precedent for other liquor shops acros