Compensation of 2 crores for wrongly cutting model's hair is too much, Supreme Court stays NCDRC's order

The Supreme Court set aside an order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). In which a model was ordered to pay Rs 2 crore as compensation. A bench of Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Vikram Nath set aside the NCDRC order in a petition filed by ITC Ltd. and asked for a fresh probe. In fact, the woman was given an opportunity to present evidence in relation to her claim but she failed to do so.

A salon in a five-star hotel of ITC Limited had wrongly cut the hair of a model named Aashna Roy. After which the matter reached the threshold of NCDRC and in September 2021, NCDRC ordered the victim to pay Rs 2 crore as compensation.

The court said that taking into account the pain, suffering and trauma, the quantum of compensation can be determined. However, an amount of Rs 2 crore would be excessive and disproportionate. Meanwhile, the Court noted that the NCDRC had discussed the importance of hair in a woman's life, but the quantum of compensation should be based on physical evidence. The court said that if the woman has any evidence, then she can be given a chance to present it. Also said that if the defendant proves it, then he is entitled to compensation. On what basis and how much should this compensation be given? Leave it to the discretion of NCDRC.

The Court said that we are left with no option but to set aside the NCDRC's order of Rs 2 crore as compensation in view of the pain, suffering and injury.