JAMMU: Giving a push to the cashless transactions, the Legal Metrology Department on Thursday called upon people to refrain from paying any additional charges on online payments to business establishments and immediately lodge a complaint with the department on finding any dealer indulging in any such malpractice.
It has been further informed that according to Circular No. 511 dated 3rd December, 2016, in the cashless scheme offered to merchant, only 0.1 per cent charge is deducted from merchant account on online sale ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh while as only 0.2 per cent is deducted for online sale above Rs. 1 lakh and this Merchant Service Fee (MSF) is refundable to the merchant. Thus, no consumer can be charged extra by any merchant.
Pertinent to mention that the Legal Metrology Department (LMD) on Thursday booked a business establishment, M/S Satyam Super Shoppe, for deceiving the consumer by charging extra on the pretext of bank charges, when the consumer opted to make payment through debit card.
Deputy Controller, Enforcement Manoj Prabhakar informed that a consumer had purchased goods from the aforesaid trader with marked MRP worth Rs. 327 and preferred to pay through online payment mode. The consumer was surprised to notice that extra charge of Rs. 7 was included in the bill, as bank charges. Thus, the consumer lodged a complaint to the district administration in this regard.
The administration sought detailed report from the Lead District Manager (LDM) of the bank, who termed this additional charge as a malpractice and informed that merchant can’t take any additional charge from the customer.
Considering the seriousness of the complaint, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu Simrandeep Singh directed LMD to take action against the dealer as warranted under law. The department constituted a team of officers and after going through the records, booked the aforementioned trader for overcharging and seizure memo was issued.