In Brief
A consumer complained to a District Consumer Forum about alleged overbilling by his telecom service provider, Vodafone Idea Cellular Ltd. The telecom company argued that disputes concerning telecom services must be resolved through statutory arbitration under Section 7B of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, and that this remedy ousts the jurisdiction of consumer forums. The Supreme Court held that while Section 7B provides a statutory arbitration remedy, it does not exclude a consumer's right to file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act 1986. The Court affirmed that the Consumer Protection Act is a special enactment protecting consumer interests, and its remedies are available in addition to other statutory remedies. A consumer may elect either arbitration or the consumer forum remedy. The Court dismissed the telecom company's appeal.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.