Case Title: Umesh V vs Vijayan George

A district consumer court at Ernakulam in Kerala ordered caterers to compensate a consumer with Rs 40,000 after the food served at a wedding caused diarrhea and stomach discomfort.

A civil excise officer lodged a complaint alleging that he experienced food poisoning after consuming food provided by St. Mary’s Catering during a wedding reception.

The complainant is seeking Rs 50,000 in compensation from the caterers due to the ordeal he faced. He claims that their services were deficient and that they engaged in unfair trade practices. The complainant fell ill and had to be hospitalized for three days, while also being unable to work for a week as a result of the incident.

The individual filing the complaint alleged that other attendees also experienced episodes of diarrhea and vomiting after consuming the food.

According to his claim, the catering unit’s food caused severe stomach discomfort and frequent bowel movements, ultimately resulting in hospitalization and a resulting hospital bill of Rs 11,845.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) passed a verdict in favor of the complainant in a case where the caterers failed to appear before the consumer forum or present a defense.

The commission regarded this as an admission of guilt on the part of the caterers. The commission concluded that the catering unit’s negligence caused the complainant significant inconvenience, mental distress, hardships, and financial losses.

As a result, the consumer forum ordered the caterers to pay Rs 30,000 as compensation to the complainant, along with Rs 10,000 as litigation costs.