Katni: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Katni, comprising President Sanat Kumar Kashyap and Member Rekha Pandey, has ruled in favour of consumer Satveer Singh Bhatia in a case concerning the deactivation of a mobile SIM card. Holding Vodafone Idea responsible for deficiency in service, the Commission directed the company to pay ₹5,000 as compensation along with 9% annual interest from October 9, 2018, the date of filing of the complaint, until the date of payment.

Advocate Rahul Gupta represented Satveer Singh Bhatia in the matter. According to the complaint, Bhatia had obtained the company's SIM card after making the prescribed payment and was using the connection. However, the company subsequently deactivated the SIM. He had also sent complaints and a notice to the company through email, requesting that the SIM be reactivated.

Before the Commission, the company argued that the SIM had been deactivated in accordance with TRAI guidelines because it had not been used for more than 90 days. However, after examining the matter, the Commission found that the company had failed to produce documentary evidence establishing that the concerned SIM had remained unused for the prescribed 90-day period.

On this basis, the Commission held that there was a deficiency in service on the part of the company. The complaint was partly allowed, and Vodafone Idea was directed to pay ₹5,000 to the consumer along with 9% annual interest.

The Commission further directed that if the order was not complied with within 45 days, and the consumer was required to initiate execution proceedings, the company would also have to bear ₹2,000 towards the expenses of the execution proceedings.

The verdict comes after nearly eight years of legal proceedings. Representing the consumer, Advocate Rahul Gupta argued the case before the Commission. The Commission observed that merely referring to TRAI guidelines was not sufficient and that the company was required to produce documentary evidence in support of its claim that the SIM had not been used for the prescribed period.