A Bench of the apex consumer panel, comprising presiding member Suresh Chandra, also directed the firm to refund the booking amount of Rs 4.62 lakh to Kumar and Usha Selvaraj with 18 per cent annual interest. It dismissed a revision petition filed by the company challenging an order passed in October last year by the Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

The State Commission had rejected an appeal of the company against an order of the district forum directing it to pay back the preliminary amount deposited by the Selvarajs with the compensation of Rs 10,000 after it failed to hand over the couple the flat within 18 months.

In a complaint before the district forum, the Selvarajs’ submitted that they were promised the flat in the proposed residential complex named as Skyline Paradiso in Bangalore’s Judicial Layout within 18 months after they paid Rs 4.62 lakh in August 2005. On the other hand, the company claimed it did not promise construction and delivery of the flat within 18 months. It further said, the construction work took time due to delay in getting sanction for the plan.