Clerical error on savings certificates does not override notified terms or create consumer-law deficiency in service.

Incorrect interest and maturity figures printed on National Savings Certificates did not override the contemporaneous government notification fixing the applicable rate. The mistaken entries were treated as clerical inadvertence, so they could not create a binding entitlement to the higher maturity value or amount to deficiency in service under consumer law. The governing notified terms prevailed over the printed mistake, and the consumer claim based on the uncorrected certificate value failed.

---

---

Issues: Whether the incorrect higher interest rate and maturity value printed on National Savings Certificates, despite a prior government notification prescribing a lower rate, constituted deficiency in service under consumer law and bound the Government to pay the printed maturity value.

Analysis: The printed entries on the certificates were inconsistent with the contemporaneous government notification fixing the applicable interest rate. The erroneous entries were caused by clerical inadvertence and could not override the notified terms governing the certificates. On that basis, the transaction did not amount to a deficiency in service within the meaning of Section 2(1)(g) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and the mistaken printing did not create an enforceable obligation to pay the higher maturity value.

Conclusion: The respondent was not entitled to the uncorrected maturity value; the appeal was allowed and the contrary consumer forum orders were set aside.

Ratio Decidendi: Where the governing statutory or notified terms of a financial instrument conflict with a mistaken printed entry caused by clerical error, the incorrect entry does not create a binding entitlement or constitute deficiency in service.

---