Hyderabad: The Novotel Hotel at Rajeev Gandhi International Airport Shamshabad was booked recently by the Legal Metrology department for charging a customer more for a Diet Coke than its MRP. The department received a complaint by Tarak Sai, a resident of Banjara Hills.
Following the complaint, officials of the department from Shamshabad district inspected the trading premises of M/s GMR Hospitality and Retail Ltd, Novotel, on July 25.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, the complainant Mr Sai, a CA final year student, said, “On July 24, I went to the Shamshabad airport to receive one of our friends. I went to the Novotel and ordered a Diet Coke, whose MRP is `35, however, I was charged `212, including Goods & Service Tax (GST).”
When Mr Sai asked why he was being charged more than the MRP, he got only the vague response that it was decided by the management. Then he complained to the Legal Metrology department via email.
The official order from the Legal Metrology department stated that “During the course of inspections, a case was registered for contravention of Section 30 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, of the Legal Metrology Enforcement Rules, 2011.”
According to Section 30 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, ‘Any transaction which is in contravention of standard weight or measure is punishable with fine up to ten thousand rupees and, for a second or subsequent offence, with imprisonment up to one year, or with fine, or with both.’
Notices were given to the Novotel and a period of one month given for them to mend their ways. If they continue to follow unfair trade practices, they will be taken to court.
