Sikh Woman Gets 1.25 Lakh Rupees Compensation After Hair Treatment Disaster

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DCDRC) in Hyderabad has ordered a hair salon to pay INR 1 lakh in compensation, along with INR 25,000 in legal costs, to a Sikh woman who was forced to cut her hair following a botched treatment. 

Sikh Woman Receives INR 1.25 Lakh Compensation After Hair Treatment Disaster at Hyderabad Salon

According to Bar and Bench's report, the woman informed the court that her hair became so matted and tangled after the salon's hair treatment that she had no choice but to cut it, which conflicted with her religious beliefs as a Sikh, for whom cutting hair is forbidden.

The DCDRC panel, comprising President Uma Venkata Subba Lakshmi and Member Lakshmi Prasanna, ruled in favour of the woman after she provided sufficient documentary evidence showing that her hair had formed into a "lump" following the hair spa service. The salon was found liable for the damage caused, resulting in a compensation order.

Similar Incident 

In a separate high-profile incident in February 2023, the Supreme Court overturned a National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) ruling, which had initially awarded INR 2 crore compensation to a model for a bad haircut at a 5-star hotel in Delhi.

The model had visited the ITC Maurya Hotel's salon in April 2018 for a haircut in preparation for an upcoming interview. Due to miscommunication and lack of supervision during the styling, her hair was cut drastically shorter than instructed, causing severe emotional distress and impacting her modelling career.

NCDRC acknowledged the significance of hair in a woman's life, particularly as a valuable asset in the modelling and advertising industries and ruled in her favour, citing evidence including photographs, CCTV footage, and WhatsApp messages, determining there was a clear deficiency in service.

However, the Supreme Court later set aside the INR 2 crore compensation, ruling that the amount was excessive. The Supreme Court urged that the quantification of compensation must be based on substantial evidence rather than mere claims. 

As a result, the Supreme Court set aside the NCDRC's previous order awarding INR 2 crore in compensation for the woman's loss of income, mental trauma, and suffering. The court has now remitted the case back to the NCDRC, allowing the woman an opportunity to present evidence supporting her claim of INR 3 crore.