Commission finds deficiency in service after repeated repair failures
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed Ethos Summit Store, Elante Mall, Industrial Area Phase I, Chandigarh, and Oris Watches India Pvt Ltd to refund ₹1,26,800 to a Chandigarh resident and pay interest at 9% per annum, after a luxury watch developed a snag soon after purchase and remained non-functional following three separate repairs.
In its order, the commission also directed the two parties to pay an additional ₹10,000 to the complainant towards compensation for mental agony and harassment and litigation costs. The decision followed a complaint filed by Hitesh Aggarwal, a resident of Sector 36-C, Chandigarh.
- Purchase: Oris Big Crown watch bought on 30 December 2023 for ₹1,26,800 from the authorised reseller at Elante Mall.
- Warranty: A warranty card assured two years of defect-free functioning and repair services.
- Repairs: Watch submitted for repair three times — 10 June 2024, 19 September 2024 and 12 November 2024 — but failed after each repair.
Sequence of events set out in the complaint
Aggarwal said the watch stopped functioning abruptly and was first submitted for repair on 10 June 2024. He said the defect recurred within three months, prompting a second submission on 19 September 2024. Within two months of that repair the watch again failed and, on being told it was a manufacturing defect, he sent it for a third repair on 12 November 2024. Despite the three repair attempts, the watch remained non-functional, the complainant alleged.
"Even after the third repair, the watch remained non-functional, effectively reducing a luxury purchase to scrap," the complaint stated, according to the commission record.
Aggarwal alleged deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the retailer and the company, and sought refund and compensation before the commission.
Defence by the retailer and company
In its written reply to the commission, Ethos Summit Store said it acted in good faith as an authorised retailer and facilitated the sale and warranty service but did not manufacture or modify the product. The store contended it could not be held liable for a latent manufacturing defect, which it said falls within the manufacturer's domain. The recorded submissions show the opposite parties resisted the complaint and filed their written version with the commission.
The commission considered the complaint and the responses and directed the refund, interest and compensation. The order underscores the consumer forum's readiness to enforce warranty obligations and hold retailers and manufacturers accountable when products repeatedly fail despite repair attempts.
What this means for Chandigarh buyers
The ruling serves as a reminder that purchasers in Chandigarh who face repeated faults in warranted products may seek redressal through the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. Consumers should retain purchase invoices, warranty cards and repair records, which the commission relied upon in adjudicating this case.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product | Oris Big Crown watch |
| Purchase date | 30 December 2023 |
| Amount | ₹1,26,800 |
| Repairs | 10 June 2024; 19 September 2024; 12 November 2024 |
| Relief awarded | Refund ₹1,26,800 + 9% p.a. interest; ₹10,000 compensation |
The commission's order is material for authorised retailers and manufacturers operating in Chandigarh and the Tricity region, signalling judicial scrutiny where warranted products fail repeatedly and repair remedies do not restore the product to promised functioning.
