Himachal consumer commission fines app developer Rs 2.15 lakh for failing to deliver blood donation app
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, has ordered an app developer to pay Rs 2.15 lakh to a charitable society for failing to deliver a fully functional mobile application for blood donation management. The commission observed that the developer's actions disrupted a public welfare initiative aimed at saving lives.
The case was filed by Kangra Saviours Committee, a registered charitable society that organises blood donation camps. The society had approached NEWUS Dharamshala to develop an Android and iOS application that would list blood donation camps, send SMS alerts for blood requests, and provide real-time information on blood availability. The developer agreed to deliver the app within 15 days and received Rs 1.25 lakh as payment.
However, the developer allegedly stopped responding after receiving the payment and only demonstrated a draft version without delivering an operational application. The developer claimed the total project cost was Rs 1.5 lakh plus GST and that the app had been successfully built. It argued that the society had failed to pay the remaining dues and filed a counterclaim for unpaid amounts.
The commission, comprising President Hemanshu Mishra and members Arti Sood and Narayan Thakur, ruled that the developer failed to provide concrete evidence such as hosting credentials, active app store download links, or technical deployment validation to prove delivery of a functional app. It noted that demanding undisclosed supplementary fees after missing the 15-day delivery timeline constituted an unfair trade practice.
“Because this operational delay directly jeopardised a charitable tool meant for vulnerable, poor patients requiring immediate blood transfusions, the levy of exemplary compensation is legally warranted to deter such commercial apathy,” the commission remarked in its July 20 ruling. It directed the developer to refund Rs 1.25 lakh with interest, pay Rs 75,000 as compensation for mental agony and disruption, and Rs 15,000 as litigation costs. Additionally, Rs 25,000 must be deposited in the District Consumer Welfare Fund, Kangra.
The order reaffirms that service providers are accountable under the Consumer Protection Act for failing to deliver contracted services. Aggrieved consumers can contact their state consumer helpline or the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.
