No bride even after 2 years, matrimony site directed to pay Rs 14,000 to groom's mom

CHENNAI: The Tirupur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a private matrimony site to pay a compensation to a complainant for deficiency of service.

The complaint was filed by Indrarani who, in January 2022, registered with the site in the hope of finding a bride for her son. She paid the registration charges of Rs 3,766, and also sent her son’s photos.

Later, when she enquired with the site regarding updates, they said that since her son was 33, the bride would be a widow or divorcee, and that they would send 40 photos of brides to her son’s mobile.

When she asked the staff for a reason for such a statement, Indrarani was not happy with their evasive replies, and asked them to refund the registration fees. The staff accepted her request and gave assurances to return the fees within one month. But the site did not honour their end, and demanded the complainant to furnish one cheque leaf.

Indrarani agreed, and handed them a cheque leaf, after which the company mistreated her. Even after she sent a legal notice in September 2023, the site did not reply. Hence, she approached the commission.

After hearing the case, the committee ordered the website to refund the registration fees to Indrarani, and also pay an additional Rs 10,000 as compensation for the mental agony and suffering she endured due to deficiency of service of the company. The site was told to comply within 3 months from the date of the order, failing which Rs 13,776 towards refund, compensation and cost shall also carry an annual interest of 8% from the date of the order, till the date of its realisation.