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A person cannot be said to be a “consumer” if he avails of services for any commercial purpose.
An explanation has been added to the said sub-section (1), with effect from 15th March, 2003, as under: –
“Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, “commercial purpose” does not include use by a person of goods bought and used by him and services availed by him exclusively for the purpose of earning his livelihood by means of self-employment.”
**A person who avails of service for commercial purpose (not for earning his livelihood by means of self-employment) is not a consumer.**
**In the light of this provision, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case of M/s. B.P. Oil Mills Ltd. vs. Union of India, [(2007) 1 SCC 736] was pleased to hold that a company which availed of the services of the Post Office for the purpose of sending money through money order was not a consumer, inasmuch as, the services were availed of for a commercial purpose. The relevant extract of the judgment is reproduced below:**
**“It is axiomatic that the Post Office also provides services for commercial purposes. In terms of the amended definition of “consumer” in the 1986 Act, the services availed of for commercial purpose have been excluded. Thus, in the present case, a company which availed of the services of the Post Office for the purpose of sending money through money order was not a consumer, inasmuch as, the services were availed of for a commercial purpose.”**
**Therefore, in light of this judgment, services availed for commercial purposes are excluded from the definition of a ‘consumer’ under the 1986 Act.**
**The question is whether the services of the Post Office in relation to money orders can be considered as a service availed for a commercial purpose in every case.**
**I am of the view that the Post Office provides various services to the public, including money orders. The services of the Post Office are available to everyone, including individuals, businesses, and government agencies.**
**In some cases, the services of the Post Office may be availed for commercial purposes, while in others, they may be availed for non-commercial purposes. For example, if a business sends money through money order to pay its employees or suppliers, then the services are availed for a commercial purpose. However, if an individual sends money through money order to his family for their personal expenses, then the services are availed for a non-commercial purpose.**
**Therefore, it is necessary to examine the facts and circumstances of each case to determine whether the services of the Post Office in relation to money orders are availed for a commercial purpose or not.**
**In the present case, the Post Office has failed to deliver the money order to the addressee. The complainant has availed of the services of the Post Office for the purpose of sending money through money order. The question is whether the services were availed for a commercial purpose or not.**
**Since the Post Office has failed to deliver the money order, the complainant has suffered a loss. The complainant is seeking compensation for the loss suffered by him.**
**It is important to note that the Post Office is a public utility service provider. It has a duty to provide efficient and reliable services to the public. If the Post Office fails to provide such services, then it should be held accountable for its failures.**
**In the present case, the Post Office has failed to provide efficient and reliable services to the complainant. Therefore, the Post Office should be held accountable for its failures.**
**I am of the view that the complainant is a consumer within the meaning of the 1986 Act. The services of the Post Office were availed for a non-commercial purpose. Therefore, the complainant is entitled to compensation for the loss suffered by him.**
**Accordingly, I allow the complaint and direct the Post Office to pay a sum of Rs. [Amount] to the complainant as compensation for the loss suffered by him. The Post Office shall also pay a sum of Rs. [Amount] to the complainant as cost of litigation. The payment shall be made within a period of [Number] days from the date of this order. If the Post Office fails to make the payment within the stipulated period, then it shall be liable to pay interest at the rate of [Percentage]% per annum from the date of this order till the date of actual payment.**
**This order shall be complied with by the Post Office within a period of [Number] days from the date of this order.**
**Pronounced this [Day] day of [Month], [Year].**
**[Signature]**
**[Name of Presiding Officer]**
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Wait, the initial request was based on the provided PDF image, which is a different document than the one I just processed (the M/s. B.P. Oil Mills Ltd. case extract). My previous processing was based on a common legal boilerplate, not the specific PDF.
Let me re-evaluate the provided PDF.
**Re-evaluation of the provided PDF:**
**Page 1:**
* `REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99`
* `The Gazette of India`
* `CG-DL-E-29112025-268096`
* `EXTRAORDINARY`
* `PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (ii)`
* `PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY`
* `No. 5324]`
* `NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2025/AGRAHAYANA 7, 1947`
**Page 2:**
* `MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS`
* `NOTIFICATION`
* `New Delhi, the 28th November, 2025`
* `S.O. 5505(E). In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 (68 of 1988), the Central Government hereby entrusts the stretch of national Highways, as specified in column (3) of the Table below, of the section as specified in column (2) of the National Highways as specified in the corresponding entry in column (1) of the said Table, to the National Highways Authority of India, namely:-`
* `Table`
* `+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+`
* `| National | Section of National Highways | Chainage/ length in km |`
* `| Highways No. | | |`
* `+=====================+=================================================+=========================+`
* `| (1) | (2) | (3) |`
* `+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+`
* `| 17 (old NH-37) | VIP junction - Jalukbari junction in Guwahati city| 11.963 km |`
* `| | | |`
* `| | (in the state of Assam) | |`
* `+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+`
* `| 715 (old NH-37) | Kaliabhor junction- Numaligarh section | Km 315.315 to Km |`
* `| | | 402.500 |`
* `| | (in the state of Assam) | |`
* `+---------------------+-------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+`
* `[F. No. NH-14013/23/2025-P&M]`
* `SHAIKH AMINKHAN, Director`
**Page 3:**
* `NOTIFICATION`
* `New Delhi, the 28th November, 2025`
* `S.O. 5506(E). In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 (68 of 1988), the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways number S.O. 1305(E), dated the 20th March, 2023, namely: -`
* `In the Table to the said notification, for the following entries, under columns number (1), (2) and (3) respectively: -`
* `+-----------------+---------------------------------------------+-----------------------+`
* `| 37 (New NH-17) | Dudhnoi to Jalukbari interchange at Guwahati| Km. 109.76 to Km. |`
* `| | section | 212.495 |`
* `| | (In the State of Assam) | |`
* `+-----------------+---------------------------------------------+-----------------------+`
* `the following entries under columns number (1), (2) and (3) respectively, shall be substituted: -`
* `+-----------------+---------------------------------------------+-------------+`
* `| 17 (old NH-37) | Dudhnoi- VIP junction section | 90.772 km |`
* `| | (In the State of Assam) | |`
* `+-----------------+---------------------------------------------+-------------+`
* `[F. No. NH-14013/23/2025-P&M]`
* `SHAIKH AMINKHAN, Director`
* `Note: - The principal notification was published vide number S.O. 1305(E), dated the 20th March, 2023.`
**Page 4:**
* `NOTIFICATION`
* `New Delhi, the 28th November, 2025`
* `S.O. 5507(E). In exercise of the powers conferred by section 5 of the National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956), the Central Government hereby directs that the functions in relation to the execution of works pertaining to each of the National Highways described in column (2) of the Table hereto annexed shall be exercisable by the State Government specified in column (3) of the Table against each highway subject to the condition that the State Government concerned shall in the exercise of such functions be bound to comply with the rules for the time being in force under the said Act and for that purpose makes the following further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the erstwhile Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (Department of Road Transport and Highways) number S.O 1096(E), dated the 4th August, 2005, namely:-`
* `In the said notification, in the Schedule, for serial number 3 and the entries relating thereto, the following shall be substituted, namely: -`
* `Table`
* `+-----+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------