'No service charge' order stayed

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the recent guidelines prohibiting hotels and restaurants from levying service charges automatically on food bills.

Justice Yashwant Varma, while dealing with petitions by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Associations of India challenging the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)'s July 4 guidelines, said the issue requires consideration and directed the authority to file its reply.

"The matter requires consideration. Consequently, until the next date of listing the directions as contained in paragraph seven of the impugned guidelines of July 4, 2022, shall remain stayed, "the court ordered.

The court said that the stay is subject to the members of the petitioners ensuring that the levy of service charge in addition to the price and taxes and obligation of the customer to pay the same is duly and prominently displayed on the menu or other places. "Further, the members will also undertake not to levy service charges on any takeaway items," it added.

"If you don't want to pay, don't enter the restaurant. It is ultimately a question of choice. I have stayed the paragraph 7 guidelines subject to these two conditions," the court said.