The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) on Monday declined to give State Bank of India (SBI) more time to make submissions on its plea seeking transfer outside Tamil Nadu of a consumer complaint filed against it by Madras HC judge Justice J Nisha Banu over a home loan repayment dispute. Commission chief Justice A P Sahi, presiding over the bench which included Member Inder Jit Singh, said they will pass a detailed order. Justice Sahi orally told Justice Banu’s counsel, who urged NCDRC to “impose some heavy costs”, “you better leave that. You know, again media, again Supreme Court. They are not going to stay here. You have to be careful. But we will do everything what is possible.” As the bench took up the matter on Monday, a counsel for the bank urged the Commission, which had issued notice on the SBI plea on August 2, to adjourn the matter as Advocate Jitendra Kumar, who was due to appear on the bank’s behalf, was unwell. It, however, said two more advocates had signed the vakalatnama and “they” too “are not present in court nor is there any indication about their status as to whether they are well/ unwell”. It said in its order: “.this is a mere excuse undertaken to seek adjournment. We rejected the same. We will pass a detailed order.,” it said. After rejecting the SBI’s prayer, Justice Sahi told the counsel, “you shouldn’t do things lightly when it is a sitting HC judge”.
