A publishing company has been directed by a Punjab consumer commission to refund Rs 8,000 to a lawyer and pay Rs 15,000 in damages and legal costs after failing to print and deliver his manuscript within the agreed timeframe.
Failure To Perform Agreed Publishing Services
The dispute began in October 2024 when the advocate engaged the publication firm to manage the complete release of his book. The agreed package encompassed ISBN processing, cover design, printing, and digital listing. Following assurances from the company that the finished copies would be delivered within 15 to 20 days, the lawyer paid the total fee of Rs 8,000 across two installments of Rs 4,000 on October 10 and October 17, 2024.
However, the company failed to execute any portion of the service. Between October 2024 and May 2025, the lawyer attempted to follow up through telephone calls, WhatsApp messages, and emails, but received no satisfactory response. In June 2025, the advocate issued a formal legal notice demanding either the completion of the publication work or a full refund with compensation. The notice was returned unserved the next day with the endorsement “no such person.”
Ruling And Relief Awarded By The Commission
The lawyer subsequently approached the Amritsar District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, asking the panel to direct the firm to either publish the work or refund the money with interest, in addition to requesting Rs 5 lakh in compensation and Rs 25,000 for litigation expenses.
In a ruling issued on August 3, a bench consisting of Commission President Jagdishwar Kumar Chopra and member Mandeep Kaur held that the firm committed a deficiency in service. The panel observed that the company stayed silent after receiving payment, ignored communications, avoided service of the legal notice, and elected not to defend itself in the proceedings.
The commission ordered the publication firm to refund the Rs 8,000 fee with interest at 6 per cent per annum from the date the complaint was filed until its final realization. Citing the harassment, mental agony, and inconvenience experienced by the complainant alongside his financial loss, the forum further awarded Rs 10,000 in compensation and Rs 5,000 toward litigation expenses, ordering full payment within 45 days.
