Heard the Learned Counsel for the Appellant and perused the impugned orders, passed by the Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at Chandigarh (for short “the State Commission”).   

As the issues involved in all these Appeals are common, we are stating only the facts of First Appeal No. 1970 of 2018 in short.     

It is not in dispute that the enhanced price of the flats, allotted to the Respondents, was received by the Appellant on 15.07.2014.  However, on 08.04.2015 the Government took a decision for payment of the stamp duty/conveyance charges on the old rates, on which the flats were allotted to the Respondents herein.  The conveyance deed was executed on 01.06.2015 and the excess amount, realized by the Appellant towards enhanced charges of conveyance deed, was refunded on 01.10.2015.  Thus, for all practicable purposes, for a period of about 1 year and 2½ months, the Appellant had enjoyed the benefit of enhanced amount, which it had received from the Respondents herein and, therefore, the State Commission was perfectly justified in directing the Appellant to refund the amount, along with interest @ 12% p.a. from the date of the deposit till the date of refund. 

So far as the submission of the Learned Counsel for the Appellant that the State Commission was not justified in granting compensation of ₹55,000/- is concerned, we are of the considered opinion that the compensation is towards the mental agony suffered by the Respondents and requires no interference.

In view of the above, the Appeals fail and are dismissed in limine.

The statutory amount, deposited by the Appellant at the time of filing the Appeals, be refunded to it.