arbitration clause not a bar to the entertainment of the consumer complaint

As regards the plea of arbitration, that was rightly rejected by the State Commission for it should suffice to say that provisions of Section 3 of the Consumer Protection Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force. We need not repeat that Section 3 is an additional remedy to the complainants in addition to all the remedies, which are otherwise available under the existing laws. Now it is settled that the arbitration clause would not be a bar to the entertainment of the complaint by the redressal agency constituted under the Act, even if the arbitration clause had been provided in an agreement or and if any reliance is required, one may refer to Ram Nath v. Improvement Trust, Bathinda 1994 (I) CPR
357.

Associated Road Carriers Ltd. vs Kamlender Kashyap And Ors. on 10/1/2008

citations: I (2008) CPJ 404 NC Bench: S K Member, B Taimni