The Supreme Court has accepted the compensation of Rs 25 lakh given in the case of wrongly cutting the model’s hair. In a unique case of its kind, the National Consumer Commission (NCDRC) had initially fixed a compensation of Rs 2 crore. The Supreme Court has reduced the compensation, calling it too much.
The matter is of the year 2018. A model named Aashna Roy had alleged that she went for a hair cut before a professional interview. Her regular hair stylist was not present in the salon of five star hotel ITC Maurya in Delhi. Another staff member cut his hair. The staff could not follow his instructions and cut the hair very badly. Due to excess ammonia during hair treatment, his hair and scalp were completely damaged and he suffered severe irritation.
The model complained about this to the National Consumer Commission. He said that wrong hair treatment caused him mental trauma and had a negative impact on his career. He missed some big projects. After the model’s complaint, the National Consumer Commission ordered the hotel to pay a compensation of Rs 2 crore in September 2021. The hotel challenged this decision in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court sent the matter to NCDRC for reconsideration.
After the case went back to NCDRC, the model increased the compensation demand to Rs 5.2 crore. However, in April 2023, NCDRC again ordered a compensation of Rs 2 crore. NCDRC also ordered ITC Limited to pay 9 percent interest from the date of the incident till payment.
ITC again reached the Supreme Court against this. On 6 February, the bench of Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Manmohan gave its verdict on the case. In this decision the court has declared the compensation to be very high. The judges also said that the model did not present sufficient documents to prove her claim in the NCDRC. Even if he had suffered some loss, it does not seem to be so much that a huge compensation of Rs 2 crores should be given.
The Supreme Court has said that NCDRC should have looked at the facts while deciding the compensation. Compensation should not have been decided on the basis of the claim of just one party. The court said that while sending the case again to NCDRC in 2023, the model was given a compensation of Rs 25 lakh. This compensation is sufficient.
