Dharwad’s Grievance Redressal Commission Orders Ola To Compensate Another Customer’s Purchase

Ola Electric has been called out again over its poor product quality. Recently, a Hubballi resident won a case against the Bengaluru-based EV company. The Dharwad District Consumer Grievances Redressal Commission ruled in her favour, ordering Ola to refund the full cost of her defective electric scooter with compensation.

Megha Deshpande paid ₹1,62,010 for the Ola S1 Pro last year, but problems began immediately. After traveling only 20-30 kilometers, the scooter stopped working completely and began leaking oil. Despite reporting these issues to Ola Electric, the company failed to make repairs, claiming replacement parts were not in stock. By June 2024, the scooter had become completely unusable.

Deshpande filed a complaint with the Dharwad District Consumer Commission on August 31, 2024. After investigation, the commission led by retired judge Ishappa Bhute and member Vishalakshi Bolashetti ruled that Ola Electric was guilty of service deficiency and unfair trade practices.

As a result, Ola Electric has been ordered to refund the full price of the scooter (₹1,62,010) plus 8 per cent interest. Plus pay ₹50,000 as compensation for inconvenience and mental harassment, and an additional ₹10,000 for litigation expenses. 

This is not the first time that Ola Electric had to pay back a consumer over the malfunctioning of a scooter. Last year, a Hyderabad-based lawyer won a case against the company over a same issue. Ola Electric is also under investigation by the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Supreme Court, over manufacturing defects and service centres. All of which are taking a toll on the brand’s shares, which plunged at an all-time low and is now currently at ₹47.59 a piece. 

Ola Electric has yet to respond to this issue, and at the time of filing of this story, the company has not issued any clarification yet. The company has claimed that it is aiming at improving customer relations with faster delivery times promised. However, given the track record, we wish the company first tackled at improving the quality and servicing experience of the existing products. This should help the consumer utilise their e-scooters in a stress free manner.