Directing the chemist, Sahni Medicos, to refund the overcharged amount, the Forum also ordered the firm to display the reduced tax rate in bold letters at a prominent place.

Alleging deficiency in service, complainant Harpreet Kochhar had said that the chemists had charged local tax at the previous rate of 10 per cent, instead of the current 4.4 per cent. He had added that the sales tax had been decreased by the Centre nearly a fortnight before the injections were purchased and a notification to this effect had also been issued.

Proprietor S.K. Sahni admitted charging the interest at the old rate, adding that the bills had been issued by the employees.

After hearing the arguments, the Forum members observed, "Laws are meant to be adhered to and not abhorred. It was the duty of the opposite party to have slashed down the price of the medicine sold to the complainant, nay even to other buyers by reducing the price in accordance with the reduction in the local taxes."