Kerala consumer commission orders Samsung to refund Rs 22,499 for defective Galaxy A15 5G
A Kerala consumer commission ruled that Samsung must refund Rs 22,499 to a teacher whose Galaxy A15 5G stopped working within two months, and also pay compensation for mental anguish and litigation costs.
A consumer in Kerala purchased a Samsung Galaxy A15 5G for Rs 22,499 on February 8, 2025, along with a charger, and the device carried a one-year warranty. The phone ceased to function on April 6, 2025, and the buyer, a school teacher who used it for online tutoring, was directed by a Pathanamthitta dealer and an authorized service centre to another centre in Kottayam, where he was told a board fault required a Rs 10,000 repair.
Despite the warranty, Samsung asked him to pay for the repair and for taking back the unrepaired handset, which was eventually returned. The Kerala district consumer commission, chaired by President George Baby and member Nishad Thankappan, concluded Samsung had failed to produce independent technical evidence of liquid ingress or mishandling, making the warranty exclusion invalid. The commission ordered Samsung and three related parties to jointly refund Rs 22,499, award Rs 10,000 for mental agony, and Rs 5,000 for litigation costs, payable within 30 days with interest thereafter.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights consumer rights enforcement against major tech firms failing to honor warranty obligations.
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