Rourkela: A district consumer disputes redressal commission here has directed Ola Electric to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to a complainant of Sundargarh district for deficiency in service and causing mental agony.
The commission in its order on Aug 22 directed the company to refund the amount paid by the complainant to purchase the e-scooter or replace with a new defect-free vehicle of the same model and take back back the old two-wheeler.
The commission also asked the company to pay Rs 10,000 in legal costs within 30 days from the date of the order, failing which the amount will carry an interest of 9% per annum till realisation.
According to the complaint, Samir Kumar Naik of Rupidihi had purchased an electric scooter from a dealer at Uditnagar here on June 14, 2023. Naik also paid the registration and insurance charges for the scooter. The dealer also said the battery had a warranty of three years.
On Nov 2, 2023, a technician visited Naik’s home and found the e-scooter’s battery was dead and had to be replaced. Despite numerous attempts, the complainant did not receive any satisfactory resolution or further visit from technician to replace the battery. Naik filed the case before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Sundargarh-I, on February 22 this year.
Go Digit General Insurance Company Ltd, Pune, which insured the vehicle, said that as per the policy conditions and claim of the petitioner, the battery had a problem, which was a manufacturing defect.
The commission observed the problem arises in the said scooter due a manufacturing defect, which was not part of the 10 conditions of the insurance policy. So the insurance company had no deficiency in its service. However, Ola Electric did not solve the issue and hence, was deficient in service and committed unfair trade practice, the commison said.
Tushar Kumar Sahoo, service manager, Ola Electric Technology Private Ltd, Rourkela, said, “If the customer has any issue, our legal team will discuss with him and will take necessary action.”

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