CONTSHIP CONTAINER LINES LTD. vs D.K. LALL .

The Supreme Court addressed the appeals arising from a consumer dispute regarding the non-delivery of a carton containing miniature paintings. The Court held that the exporter, M/s D.K. Lall Enterprises, was a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and that the shipping company, Contship Container Lines Ltd., was liable for the loss under the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925, specifically Article IV Rule 5. The Court affirmed the National Commission's partial relief to the exporter while clarifying the limits of liability under the Bill of Lading, ultimately upholding the compensation amount of Rs.21,428/- as per the statutory limits.