NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF INDIA & ORS. vs UNION OF INDIA & ANR.

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on: 13th December, 2024 Date of Decision: 28th March, 2025 + W.P.(C) 10683/2022 & CM APPLs.31033/2022, 45891/2023 NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners Through: Dr. Lalit Bhasin, Ms. Nina Gupta, Ms. Ananya Marwah, Mr. Devvrat Tiwari and Mr. Ajay Pratap Singh, Advs. (M: 7709842926). versus UNION OF INDIA & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Chetan Sharma, ASG with Mr. Sandeep Mahapatra, CGSC, Mr. Ashish Dixit, CGSC with Mr. Abhinav Bansal, Mr. Vikramaditya Singh, Tribhuvan, Mr. Shubham Sharma, Mr. Saurabh Tripathi, Mr. Amit Gupta, Mr. Ishan Malhotra, Mr. Chandan, Advs. Mr. Deepak Tanwar, G.P. & Mr. Shivam Tiwari, Advs. Mr. Kiritman Singh, Sr. Adv. for UOI. + W.P.(C) 10867/2022 & CM APPLs.31645/2022, 38599/2022, 23175/2024 FEDERATION OF HOTEL AND RESTAURANT ASSOCIATIONS OF INDIA & ORS. .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Sameer Parekh, Mr. Sumit Goel, Ms. Sonal Gupta, Ms. Swati Bhardwaj, Mr. Abhishek Thakral, Advs. (M:9178681904) Signature Not Verified Signed By:DHIRENDER W.P.(C) 10683/2022 & W.P.(C) 10867/2022 Page 1 of 131 KUMAR Signing Date:28.03.2025 16:50:38 versus UNION OF INDIA & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Chetan Sharma, ASG with Mr. Sandeep Mahapatra, CGSC, Mr. Ashish Dixit, CGSC with Mr. Abhinav Bansal, Mr. Vikramaditya Singh, Tribhuvan, Mr. Shubham Sharma, Mr. Saurabh Tripathi, Mr. Amit Gupta, Mr. Ishan Malhotra, Mr. Chandan, Advs. Mr. Deepak Tanwar, G.P. & Mr. Shivam Tiwari, Advs. Mr. Kirtiman Singh, Sr. Adv. for UOI. CORAM: JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUDGMENT Prathiba M. Singh, J. 1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode. 2. Whether the collection of mandatory Service Charge by restaurants and other establishments is permissible under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (h