Dissatisfied with the High Court’s judgment passed last week, 34 Neta EV model taxi drivers appealed to the Supreme Court against Kuenphen Motors today. Upholding the Thimphu District Court’s judgment, the High Court stated that Kuenphen Motors is not liable to pay any compensation to owners of the Neta EV model. The High Court had also asked 35 Neta taxi operators to pay Nu 3,750 as an appeal cost to the vehicle dealer.
According to the Thimphu District Court’s judgment passed in December last year, Kuenphen Motors was not liable to pay any compensation to owners of both EV models.
Unhappy with the district court’s judgment, owners of the EV models appealed to the High Court.
According to the High Court’s judgment passed last week, Kuenphen Motors is liable to pay only Nu 15,000 each to the five drivers of the MG ZS EV model and is not liable to pay any compensation to owners of the Neta EV model.
The five taxi drivers of MG ZS EV model said, considering time and expenditure, they have decided not to appeal further.
Kuenphen Motors also said the company will make the payment of Nu 15,000 each to five taxi drivers of the MG ZS EV model as asked by the high court and not appeal to the Supreme Court.
The issue first surfaced early last year when around 55 taxi operators of Neta and MG ZS EV models filed a complaint with the Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority against Kuenphen Motors for mileage range issues. There were also differences in the specifications of the EV models delivered and advertised. The taxi drivers requested either for replacement of the car or a refund equivalent to the cost of the components that were missing.
The Dispute Settlement Committee of the Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority had asked Kuenphen Motors to pay 30,000 ngultrum to all aggrieved Neta and MG ZS customers for failing to deliver the Electric Vehicle which was initially advertised.
Dissatisfied with the authority’s decision, the parties involved appealed to the Thimphu District Court.
Samten Dolkar
Edited by Phub Gyem
