S Gopal Puri
Dharamshala: The Kangra District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed BharatSthali, an online handloom saree seller based in Manimajra, Chandigarh, to refund the full amount and pay compensation totaling Rs 31,600 to a consumer for delivering a product that differed from what was advertised.
The verdict, delivered on June 26, 2025, pertains to complaint No. 216/2024, filed by Dr Archana Thakur, a resident of Pandtehar village under Ghirtholi post office of Baijnath tehsil in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, through her legal counsel Advocate Abhinash Parmar.
As per the complaint, Dr Archana Thakur ordered a royal blue Banarasi silk saree with meena work from BharatSthali’s official website on August 21, 2023, and paid Rs 11,610 online. The saree was delivered on August 29, but it turned out to be entirely different from the advertised product, both in colour and quality. The saree had loose threads, poor meena work and did not match the image shown online.
Despite several attempts to seek an exchange or refund, BharatSthali allegedly ignored the complaint and refused to acknowledge any discrepancy. Frustrated by the lack of response, Dr Archana Thakur moved the consumer commission.
BharatSthali (located at SCO 842, Housing Board Lights, near Octave and Monte Carlo, NAC Manimajra, Chandigarh, 160101) initially contested the claim, stating that the order had been placed by the complainant’s husband from Canada. However, the commission ruled that as the product was delivered to and used by Archana Thakur, she qualified as a “consumer” under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
After the shop failed to appear for final evidence submission, the commission proceeded ex-parte and found the complaint unchallenged and valid. The commission noted that the saree had emotional value as it was a gift from the complainant’s husband and the seller’s refusal to refund or replace the faulty item caused mental agony and harassment.
The Commission ordered BharatSthali to refund Rs 11,610 with 9% annual interest from the date of the complaint, pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony and pay Rs 10,000 as litigation costs.
