Wedding ‘called off’, luxury resort ordered to refund Rs 8.5 lakh to bride’s father

A luxury resort in Punjab's Gurdaspur district has been ordered to refund Rs 8.5 lakh to a man whose daughter's wedding was canceled. The district consumer commission ruled that retaining the entire advance payment of Rs 10 lakh amounted to deficient service. The commission allowed the resort to keep 15% of the total advance amount, citing it as reasonable for administrative expenses and potential losses from cancellation.

The complaint stated that the resort assured a refund if the wedding was canceled, but the man did not receive the refund despite repeated requests and a legal notice. The resort contended that the man had booked through an agent, and that he had failed to comply with the payment terms. However, the commission found that the full booking amount was not required due to the canceled service. The commission directed the resort to refund the remaining Rs 8.5 lakh within 45 days.