Levied maintenance charge for ATM card without advance notice; Postal Department asked to pay compensation

KOTTAYAM: The Kottayam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed the Postal Department to issue compensation on the complaint that an annual maintenance charge was levied for free ATM cards without warning. The order was issued on the complaint lodged by Kottayam Karappuzha native VK Krishnakaimal and his wife.

The complainants, who are service pensioners, received the ATM cards when they opened savings bank accounts at the Kottayam post office. The officials of the Post Office had assured them that the ATM cards were free of charge. The complainants, however, did not activate the ATM cards. Later, an annual maintenance charge of Rs 147 was charged for the ATM cards from their savings accounts. Subsequently, the complainants returned the ATM cards to the postal department and requested the authorities to refund the amount charged from their accounts. However, the postal department officials clarified that the money cannot be returned to the complainants. The complainants then approached the Kottayam Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The Commission, which pointed out that the action of levying maintenance charges without prior notice was a service deficiency on the part of the opposite party, directed the postal department to return the maintenance charge with nine per cent interest. The Kottayam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission also directed the Kottayam post office authorities to pay Rs 5000 as compensation and Rs 2000 as court expenses to the complainants.